Plans for Maze stadium axed

Plans for a new £300m (€324m) international sports stadium for the North, which had divided political and sporting opinion, were finally axed today.

Sports Minister Gregory Campbell ended lingering hopes that the site of the former Maze Prison, near Lisburn, Co Antrim, could be turned into a showpiece arena to be ready in time for the 2012 London Olympics.

The three main sporting organisations in the North – the Irish Football Association (IFA), the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) and rugby’s Ulster branch of the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) – backed the controversial scheme.

But with many unionists and soccer fans bitterly opposed to the development, Mr Campbell decided to formally abandon the project, claiming it would not represent value for money and would cause community divisions.

The minister plans to explore other options involving major investment in upgrading existing facilities, including Windsor Park, Belfast, where Northern Ireland play all their home soccer games.

Officials have already warned that matches might have to be switched to the UK unless significant improvements are made at Windsor Park.

There are separate plans at the Maze for an entertainment complex which could host conferences or concerts, housing, a conflict resolution centre and a Troubles museum, which some unionists branded a shrine to terrorism.