New Casement Park given go-ahead

Planning permission has been granted for the Casement Park redevelopment project which will see a 5,500 increase in capacity at the Belfast venue to bring it to a 38,000 all-seater stadium, which will be the flagship venue for Ulster GAA fixtures.

Northern Ireland Environment Minister Mark H Durkan MLA confirmed today that planning approval has been granted, while an agreement has also been reached between DCAL and the GAA on the funding agreement for the project.

The upgrade will be a significant one, moving from a mainly terraced ground to an all-seater stadium.

This will include 2,000 premium and corporate level seats, while the venue will be 80% percent covered, with open seating at the Anderstown Road End.

Chairman of the Casement Park Project Board and former Ulster GAA President Tom Daly has welcomed the announcement.

"Today's announcement by Minister Durkan represents another significant milestone in the ongoing development process," he said.

"After 20 months of consultation and engagement we now have the green light to proceed. I would like to thank the Minister and the Planning Service for their work over the past six months.

"I would also like to thank our design team Mott McDonald and our planning consultants RPS, our Stadium Project Board and our hard working Stadium Executive Team who have worked hard to deliver this result."

Daly revealed that work on the stadium will begin next spring and it is hoped that the project will take about two years to complete.

"We now look forward to progressing the other work streams around the stadium with a view to being on site by spring 2014 and commissioning the new stadium for the 2016 Ulster GAA Championship and Antrim GAA Championship season.

"The young Gaels of Antrim's GAA Clubs will have a new home which will compare favourably to anything available to sports people the world over. I am also pleased that agreement has been reached around the project funding agreement which brings complete certainty around the project budget."

GAA Director General Páraic Duffy said the announcement is a significant one for the GAA as an organisation overall.

"Today's announcement in relation to Casement Park is a 'red letter' day for the GAA in Ulster and indeed Ireland," he said.

"The GAA's Central Council decided to invest significant partnership funds of £15 million in the project to meet the strategic stadium needs of Ulster GAA who as the governing body of the GAA in the province are the project promoters.

"All the members of the Project Board led by Tom Daly and Danny Murphy and the Ulster GAA Executive team deserve great credit for their work.

"From the outset of this project we have operated a tripartite arrangement that involves the GAA Central Council, Ulster GAA and Antrim GAA and I would highlight that in addition to providing the strategic needs of Ulster GAA, the stadium will serve as a fantastic facility for Antrim GAA and act as a driver for our games in Ireland's second city and the entire country."