Munster kick off €40m Thomond re-development as plan goes to Council

THE first major step towards completing the €40 million redevelopment of Thomond Park, the home of Munster rugby, has been undertaken.

Limerick City Council received a planning application for a new stadium which is expected to host up to 29,000 fans within a couple of years.

A council spokesperson yesterday confirmed the application had been lodged by the rugby authorities, adding that any objections had to be received within eight weeks. But with the Munster Branch having painstakingly reached an agreement to purchase 28 houses at the Knocklisheen Road end of the ground, the biggest stumbling block appears to be already overcome.

The new development will see the demolition of the current West Stand and terracing, as well as the houses already purchased, and the construction of two stands on the west and east sides of the ground to cater for almost 16,000 spectators.

Further development on the terraces will boost the crowds by 5,000, to add to other existing areas that will cater for 8,000. The total capacity will rise from about 13,000 to 29,120.

The newly-developed amenity includes provision for a rugby museum, retail and function areas, corporate boxes and kitchen/concourse and toilets. There will also be more entrances to cater for the bigger crowds, while lighting masts will also be subject to reorientation.

The €40m development should, given planning approval, commence early next year. Completion is anticipated in 18 months, for a scheduled reopening in autumn 2008.

Meanwhile, Leinster have signed South African forward Cornelius Hermanus “Harry” Vermaas on a one-year deal from the Blue Bulls.

The versatile 22-year-old, who can play in all three positions in the front row, was a member of the South Africa team that won the Under-21 World Cup in Argentina in 2005.

Vermaas becomes the fifth new addition to the Leinster panel after the recent signings of Trevor Hogan, Stephen Keogh, Chris Whitaker and Owen Finegan in the close season, and welcoming his signing, Leinster coach Michael Cheika described Vermaas as “a very promising talent who is technically very strong in an area we were keen to improve upon”.