WEST Belfast MP Paul Maskey has said that a decision on the planning application for the redevelopment of Casement Park could be reached in the next month.
The £110 million redevelopment plans had previously faced setbacks due to safety concerns linked to the size of the stadium.
Planning permission was granted for a 38,000 capacity stadium in 2013, but in 2014 approval was quashed in a High Court legal challenge brought by Mooreland & Owenvarragh Residents’ Association (MORA).
New plans to build a 34,000 capacity Casement Park were submitted by Ulster GAA in February 2017.
Mr Maskey, who recently met with planners at the Department for Infrastructure (DfI), said that, while some information regarding the decision was still outstanding, a decision on the application is imminent.
“The department are still waiting on some information coming back to them from DFI roads,” he said.
“Obviously when they get that back they’ll have to go through that with due diligence.
“When they get that information, which should be within the next month, then hopefully they will be able to make a decision. I hope that they will make that decision as soon as possible.
“There have been other large-scale applications that have been submitted after Casement Park, which have already been decided. So once they get that information from DfI Road they should make that decision without delay.”
Meanwhile MORA has written to the DfI Planning to object to the new stadium proposals.
The letter, which has been seen by the Andersonstown News, states that “Further Environemtal Information” provided by Ulster GAA in July “fails to allay” concerns about development of the stadium “to an oversized capacity”.
The residents’ association insists that the redevelopment would have “unacceptable impacts” on people in the area including “excessive over-shadowing and loss of daylight”, air pollution, as well as “noise, disturbance and safety issues” should proposals for three major concerts a year at the stadium be given the green light.
“In addition, the applicant has been unable to demonstrate that the road network can safely handle the extra vehicular traffic that would be generated by sporting and concert events,” the letter reads.
“The applicant’s proposals for safe evacuation, which now extend to the Stockmans Lane roundabout, also give rise to serious concern and demand for more rigorous scrutiny.”
A spokesperson for Ulster GAA said: “Within its planning application, including its Further Environmental Information submission, Ulster GAA has comprehensively addressed all factors relating to the stadium’s operations and impact, with the Safety Technical Group having unanimously supported the project plans.
“As the stadium plans are currently under consideration by the Department for Infrastructure it would be inappropriate to comment further on the live planning application.”
The Safety Technical Group comprises representatives from Sport NI; Belfast City Council, the PSNI, the NI Ambulance Service; the NI Fire and Rescue Service; Sports Grounds Safety Authority; and the GAA’s ground safety management.
