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

[Applesisapples]

You do have to wonder at people in West Belfast, this is the second major investment they have spurned.

[north_antrim_hound]

Breaking news re-design likely to be given the all clear

Sorry that's to big it's obscuring my view of that mountain, can we have it bit lower

[Applesisapples]

I,m confused, the GAA have said that they have fully complied with planners all along,yet we have arrived at this ridiculous situation. Don't know who the architects are but they're laughing all the way to the credit union!

The JR was not taken against the GAA but the department. The GAA did comply with what was requested it was the planners who did not set in place the necessary impact assessments and environmental reports.

You'd have to wonder why. The residents I have spoken to have always claimed that had these assessments been considered by the planners then planning permission wouldn't have been granted. The residents winning the JR was not simply a technicality that these assessments were overlooked. The residents are confident that the contents of these assessments are damning of a 38,000 seater stadium on the Casement Park site.

We will see.

That we cannot know because they weren't done correctly. However if they are done correctly they will show what needs to be done to get 38,000 over the line, the point of the assessments is to ensure that the development is carried out in a way that mitigates problems. Most problems can be addressed at a cost. It could happen that the assessments might say that a 38,000 seater should not be allowed on the basis of infrastructure, if that issue is addressed either by building infrastructure as required or through planning and management it is hard to see where the residents can go. Personally I believe if enough cash is waved at the residents the problems will disappear.

[north_antrim_hound]

I,m confused, the GAA have said that they have fully complied with planners all along,yet we have arrived at this ridiculous situation. Don't know who the architects are but they're laughing all the way to the credit union!

The JR was not taken against the GAA but the department. The GAA did comply with what was requested it was the planners who did not set in place the necessary impact assessments and environmental reports.

You'd have to wonder why. The residents I have spoken to have always claimed that had these assessments been considered by the planners then planning permission wouldn't have been granted. The residents winning the JR was not simply a technicality that these assessments were overlooked. The residents are confident that the contents of these assessments are damning of a 38,000 seater stadium on the Casement Park site.

We will see.

That we cannot know because they weren't done correctly. However if they are done correctly they will show what needs to be done to get 38,000 over the line, the point of the assessments is to ensure that the development is carried out in a way that mitigates problems. Most problems can be addressed at a cost. It could happen that the assessments might say that a 38,000 seater should not be allowed on the basis of infrastructure, if that issue is addressed either by building infrastructure as required or through planning and management it is hard to see where the residents can go. Personally I believe if enough cash is waved at the residents the problems will disappear.

Thanks for a professional view on the subject
Your last sentence is probably the thought in everyone's head
If financial compensation is the real motive then I think there a disgrace
And negates the "a mans home is his castle " type self righteousness

[north_antrim_hound]

It's some risk to turn down compensation, then put up your own dough for a JR which you have no guarantee of winning if your end goal is more compensation. No?

That's fair enough
Was it turned down on moral grounds or is wasn't enough slice of the 70 odd million
What's the average price of house beside casment, how much would the new infrastructure devalue their house. Was what they where offered less or more
Your better informed on the whole scenario than me so I'll take your word for it

[Ulick]

The water table is too high.

I wouldn't have thought so Ulick. There are houses behind Casement that are much lower as well as the whole ground falls to M1 so you can rule the water table out.

Someone on the radio gave that as the reason a while back. As I remember the current plans still have them digging down quite a bit, bit to go further was going to involve going into the water table or some underground river or something. Also if you look over to Casement when you are coming in on the M1, the ground itself is below your eye-line i.e. doesn't seem to be on much of a rise.

[armaghniac]

It's some risk to turn down compensation, then put up your own dough for a JR which you have no guarantee of winning if your end goal is more compensation. No?

perhaps they were advised by Sean Quinn?

[Saffrongael]

Would say some of the local politicians are pushing it so hard, with an eye on their cronies getting involved in areas like security etc

[babarino]

Paddy Heaney enlightens us with his take on the controversy. http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/columnists/paddy-heaney/paddy-heaney-compromise-key-to-solving-casement-park-conundrum-303175.html

In summary - it's a tiny minority in the 180 houses beside Casement that are opposed to the plans. Generally they're happy with the compensation that the GAA is offering and it'll get sorted. It had better get sorted quick or their homes will be rat infested.

Some influential GAA figures feel that the money should be ploughed into Clones. "The powers-that-be in Croke Park have a responsibility to publicly voice their support for Casement Park." (As if they haven't been doing so)

There's an "incredible amount of ignorance".

[Maguire01]

The water table is too high.

I wouldn't have thought so Ulick. There are houses behind Casement that are much lower as well as the whole ground falls to M1 so you can rule the water table out.

Someone on the radio gave that as the reason a while back. As I remember the current plans still have them digging down quite a bit, bit to go further was going to involve going into the water table or some underground river or something. Also if you look over to Casement when you are coming in on the M1, the ground itself is below your eye-line i.e. doesn't seem to be on much of a rise.

Was there not talk of an underground car park? Maybe that didn't make the final plan.

[Maguire01]

Paddy Heaney's enlightens us with his take on the controversy. http://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/columnists/paddy-heaney/paddy-heaney-compromise-key-to-solving-casement-park-conundrum-303175.html

In summary - it's a tiny minority in the 180 houses beside Casement that are opposed to the plans. Generally they're happy with the compensation that the GAA is offering and it'll get sorted. It had better get sorted quick or their homes will be rat infested.

Some influential GAA figures feel that the money should be ploughed into Clones. "The powers-that-be in Croke Park have a responsibility to publicly voice their support for Casement Park." (As if they haven't been doing so)

There's an "incredible amount of ignorance".

Why would their homes be rat infested because they're beside an unused field? Sure it was only ever occupied a few days a year before it was closed.

[Saffrongael]

Re the "regeneration of West Belfast" - i am sure the locals are salivating at all the minimum wage jobs that will come with the new Casement

[JPGJOHNNYG]

Some jobs are better than none and I think its fair to say there will be a mix of part time and full time work and contrary to what was said earlier it wont all be voluntary. On match day there could be hundreds of stewards and if it has a well run conference centre then it will require a large catering and bar staff. Pretty sure a stadium that size is also going to need maintenance staff, technicians/electricians and of course the grounds men. Not too sure if the stadium will have a shop and museum but if it does that is more jobs. Lets not forget if the stadium is a success then it may help attract other business into the area but feck that it all sounds like too much hassle we all know everybody in Northern Ireland is scared stiff of any sort of change and there are too many jobs in West Belfast anyway.

[ONeill]

Ideas for the Casement Park museum?

1. The ball Tohill caught over the bar

[Saffrongael]

St Pauls v Cargin county final 1999