Public transport ‘key to stadium success’

PROPERTY developer Noel Smyth will be insisting the Government provides proper public transport to Abbotstown in his tender to build the national stadium.

The Dunloe Ewart executive chairman is so far the only private property developer to have publicly declared an interest in building the national stadium at Abbotstown, Dublin.

But any developer putting forward a bid would have to insist that a proper public transport system is put in place, Mr Smyth’s spokesman said.

“There is no point in building a national stadium out in Abbotstown if the proper rail and bus network is not built in tandem with the project,” his spokesman said.

While no other private developer has yet declared an interest in building the national stadium, a senior Government source said last night they were confident there will be other bidders for the project before the October 18 deadline.

Among them could be Cork property developer Owen O’Callaghan.

Mr O’Callaghan, who built the Liffey Valley centre in Dublin, would not rule out examining the idea, his spokesman said yesterday.

Nine years ago Mr O’Callaghan planned to build a 45,000-seat stadium in Dublin after receiving planning permission for a site in Clondalkin.

The FAI was interested in becoming an anchor tenant at the proposed

76 million venue bordering the Cork-Dublin rail line, the N4, N7 and the M50.

But the FAI pulled out of the deal when it failed to secure financial support from the Government.

The English Premiership side Wimbledon was keenly interested in the proposed Balgaddy stadium in 1997 when it was considering a move to Dublin, but the planning permission has since lapsed.

The design documents for the stadium were subsequently used as a basis for the failed Eircom Park proposal by the FAI.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the Government confirmed last night that there has been significant national and international interest from the private sector in the national stadium project.

Responding to Mr Smyth’s claim that the national stadium would not be viable without a proper public transport system in place, a Government spokesman said that it would be inappropriate to discuss individual proposals until the entire process is completed.

The Abbotstown site is about eight miles from Dublin city centre and currently has no direct rail or bus service.

Mr Smyth believes a national stadium would be viable there under certain conditions, which include Government tax incentives and two anchor tenants such as the FAI and IRFU.