Sports Minister rules out national stadium for Belfast

A new national stadium for the North in Belfast is a non-runner, Sports Minister Edwin Poots insisted today.

He effectively ruled out any hopes of the 30,000-seater arena being built in the city and is sticking by government plans to build at the former Maze prison site near Lisburn, Co Antrim.

Northern Ireland soccer fans have been pushing for the venue to be located within Belfast and a report commissioned by the City Council has backed an in-town location.

However, Mr Poots said planning restrictions on a possible development at Ormeau Park made the project impossible.

"The advice that I have received from my colleagues in the Planning Service is that it's a non-runner and we have to take their advice," he said.

"Planning Service have indicated that their position still stands, if it is not going to get planning permission in the first instance it is a non-starter."

Mr Poots attended the launch of the University of Ulster's dossier for a stadium catering for soccer, rugby and GAA at the city hall.

The council is arguing that a development at the 360-acre Maze plan is being pushed through for political reasons and would cost the local economy valuable spending on hotels and entertainment available in the city centre.

Mr Poots represents Lagan Valley, where the Maze was based.

The land was handed over by the Chancellor in 2002 to "symbolise peace and prosperity and prompt economic and social regeneration" and Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure officials have questioned whether using all the spare land for housing would fit that criteria.

Representatives of the three sports hoping to use the facility have backed the 35,000-seater venue.

However, academics said that around £0.5bn (€741,929) could be lost to the public purse if a developer is granted rights to the whole site.

Economist Mike Smyth said the private partner would net large areas of vacant land on which up to 1,000 homes could be built if planning restrictions were relaxed, netting a windfall in the process.

"We are going into a period when we don't have as much money and if we are contemplating free care for the elderly, if we are contemplating following Scotland in reducing university fees for Northern Ireland students where will that money come from and between a third and half a billion pounds would be very useful," he said.

His calculation is based upon re-zoning much of the 360-acre site for housing, to be considered in the 2010 Regional Development Strategy.

At present there is only permission for around 200 houses.

Mr Poots branded the notion "ludicrous". He added that it over-estimated the value of the land by 100%

"Evidence like that doesn't help sustain the case," he said.

The minister has imposed a deadline of the end of June for contrary submissions to allow a bid for some role in the 2012 Olympics but said if a compelling case was just days away he would consider relaxing his intervention.

"I am more interested in what's missing from this report... what's missing is alternative proposals to the Maze that can actually stack up," he added.

Mr Smyth has claimed the minister is plotting to create another Millennium Dome, pushed through by political pressure.

The minister countered that Mr Smyth has been calling for an in-town location even before a word of the report was written.

The report was called 'A multi-purpose sports stadium: in-town versus out of town location'.

It made six recommendations including:

* The experience, atmosphere and facilities offered by the in-town location should be considered when deciding the venue.

* It must be accessible and attractive to the widest possible sporting and cultural audience.

The academics stated: "The final decision on location should be based on a pragmatic and objective strategic, regeneration, economic, infrastructure and business analysis and should not be based on political considerations.

"The weight of evidence clearly indicates that an in-town location is the most sustainable for a multi-purpose stadium to serve the needs of Northern Ireland."

Belfast council has received three bids from developers keen to build the stadium at relatively little cost to the public purse.

Cllr Bob Stoker said: "Belfast is not looking for special treatment, just equal treatment, and possible locations across the city need to be properly considered and not dismissed for reasons of political expediency."