Casement Park in line for major overhaul - 40,000 all seater Stadium.

[NaomhBridAbú]

This has been a mess.

I remember reading in a piece by J Burns in the Gaelic Life about 6 months ago where he wrote about a lack of "sunlight" being a small price to pay for a great stadium - easy seeing that Jarlath doesn't life so close to the stadium.

MORA had been denied the oxygen of publicity in the Irish News...they have yet to run the story from the angle of the locals. Casement has a serious number of heavyweight PR people involved  and on the GAA side and it is still a mess.

I'm not even sure that the proposed stadium has sufficient exits from a health and safety perspective...

Ulster GAA need to get there act together here...this alongside the Brooks fiasco, and the Penn State game, you'd get the impression thats one of the folk in HQ don't really know what they are at...?

thankfully the boys on the pitch are giving us a pleasant distraction...

[orangeman]

bbc ni

Building a new 38,000-seater GAA stadium that visually integrates within its west Belfast neighbourhood is impossible, a court has been told.

Lawyers for a residents group opposing the Casement Park redevelopment said landscape architects backed concerns about homes being plunged into shadow.

A judge was also told the planning process for the £76m project was "rushed through".

The new stadium is to be built on the existing site.

Funded by the Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure, it is to include fully modern facilities and corporate resources.

However, the Mooreland and Owenvarragh Residents Association (MORA) claim the proposed ground is simply too big for the area.

They argue that a stadium of that magnitude will block out light, reduce the quality of life for those living close by and compound traffic congestion.

It is further alleged that planning chiefs failed to properly assess the new Casement Park as a mixed-use facility also capable of holding concerts and other public events.

Further issues dealing with Japanese knotweed and asbestos have also been raised.

'Dominant and overbearing'
On a second day of the legal challenge to Environment Minister Mark H Durkan's decision last December to approve rebuilding the stadium, counsel for MORA told the High Court landscape architects had been critical of the "dominant and overbearing" scale of the scheme.

Referring to their conclusions David Scoffield QC said: "It's impossible to put a modern stadium such as the GAA want onto this site which visually integrates with the existing environment. It cannot be done."

Mr Justice Horner heard claims that the proposed new ground would impact on residents' privacy and restrict light. Some nearby dwellers would have their gardens partially in shadow by mid-afternoon, the court heard.

Although the residents group are seeking to halt the 38,000-seater project, they are not opposed to rebuilding on a smaller scale.

But Mr Scoffield claimed Roads Service staff were being urged to sign off the plans before his clients had a chance to assess and submit objections.

Contending there was a six-month deadline for completion of the planning application, he said: "Everyone is saying let's grant permission, we will have a further assessment down the line and see what happens as we go."

The barrister also said it was irrelevant if some of his client's homes had been built after Casement Park was first constructed.

"It's not a case of 'we were here first so we can do what we want'," he added.

The hearing resumes on Monday when Department of the Environment lawyers are expected to outline their case.

[Milltown Row2]

Is that free counsel MORA get? some money if it's not and probably drag on a bit

[armaghniac]

Building a new 38,000-seater GAA stadium that visually integrates within its west Belfast neighbourhood is impossible, a court has been told.

Easy solution for this one. Clear away the west Belfast neighbourhood.

[orangeman]

Is that free counsel MORA get? some money if it's not and probably drag on a bit

Is Ulster council counsel free ?.

[Milltown Row2]

Is that free counsel MORA get? some money if it's not and probably drag on a bit

Is Ulster council counsel free ?.

I suppose not, what a fecking mess

[THE MIGHTY QUINN]

I see the Westies are now kicking up over a proposed new Council financed 3G pitch in Falls Park. If it was me I wouldn't invest a penny anywhere in the area because that's really the way they want it. Happier with nothing because it allows them to be happy complaining about how unhappy they are

[Lecale2]

Where & when was the meeting HS? Was it another attempt at reaching agreement?

The lawyers are laughing all the way to the bank the longer the JR goes on. If MORA don't win & get awarded costs who will pay?

[Jeepers Creepers]

No idea what went on in the meeting but I believe it descended into chaos.

Reports that GAA people were answering concerns with "Shut up". Now, although I appreciate that that is an improvement on the "Fcuk up" that our esteemed County Chairman answered questions with at a meeting with Casement Social Club members, why is it that some in power in the GAA are unable to conduct themselves with a small bit of decorum at meetings. If you don't know the answer to the question, say you don't and tell the person you will endeavour to get an answer to the question.

In fairness, I have spoke to a number of people in attendence who said that anyone who spoke in favour of the new pitch were shouted down by local residents, who only wanted themselves to be heard.

[Denn Forever]

Clearer and clearer

ww.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-29419644?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=facebook?SThisFB

[orangeman]

There's some lies and mistruths being told in court as past number of days.

The costs associated with the ongoing delays are mounting. What a shambles.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-29467331

[RadioGAAGAA]

Whole thing is daft.


1. Tear down old stand. Replace with something fit for purpose.

2. Put a roof over the centre section of terracing opposite the stand.


That means people that want to sit can watch matches all year round and not get soaked, people that want to stand can watch matches all year round and not get soaked and in the summer time the uncovered banks can be used to augment the capacity in the one or two occasions they might actually be needed.

The saved money could then be used to buy some ground in around Belfast for more pitches and green areas so kids and teenagers aren't hanging around streets with f__k all to do.


This white elephant is a complete joke.

[PAULD123]

Whole thing is daft.


1. Tear down old stand. Replace with something fit for purpose.

2. Put a roof over the centre section of terracing opposite the stand.


That means people that want to sit can watch matches all year round and not get soaked, people that want to stand can watch matches all year round and not get soaked and in the summer time the uncovered banks can be used to augment the capacity in the one or two occasions they might actually be needed.

The saved money could then be used to buy some ground in around Belfast for more pitches and green areas so kids and teenagers aren't hanging around streets with f__k all to do.


This white elephant is a complete joke.

I think that this is an excellent post. The whole idea is arrogant and a needless waste. As RGaGa says a nice shiny new stand and covered terrace will fulfil the requirements adequately.

[orangeman]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-29554535

Every week great goes past costs £60k. Increased costs to date are sitting @ £2.7m.

Somebody somewhere should be made to account for this mess.

But I'm sure no one will man up - There are rights and wrongs on both sides but how this got planning without all the studies being done is mind blowing. This will cost some £ before any more work is done in site.

[johnneycool]

Whole thing is daft.


1. Tear down old stand. Replace with something fit for purpose.

2. Put a roof over the centre section of terracing opposite the stand.


That means people that want to sit can watch matches all year round and not get soaked, people that want to stand can watch matches all year round and not get soaked and in the summer time the uncovered banks can be used to augment the capacity in the one or two occasions they might actually be needed.

The saved money could then be used to buy some ground in around Belfast for more pitches and green areas so kids and teenagers aren't hanging around streets with f__k all to do.


This white elephant is a complete joke.

I think that this is an excellent post. The whole idea is arrogant and a needless waste. As RGaGa says a nice shiny new stand and covered terrace will fulfil the requirements adequately.

Whilst the idea of a more modest, fit for purpose stadium smacks of common sense to everyone but the Ulster Council, the fact remains that whatever money made available via Stormont is for the sole development of a stadium, it cannot be diverted/siphoned off to buy or develop facilities elsewhere.