With the approval from Northern Ireland Infrastructure minister Nichola Mallon for the  redevelopment of Casement Park in west Belfast a long political and sporting saga appears to be at an end. The estimated cost of redevelopment is £110 million. The expected stadium capacity is 34,500 people.

Casement is the last of three stadiums redeveloped across Belfast, with Windsor Park in the south and the Kingspan (Ravenhill) towards the east having been completed previously. There had originally been a plan to build a new state of the art stadium to accommodate all three sports – gaelic games, rugby, soccer – but planners were unable to  find a suitable site.

So why has it taken so long for Casement to be approved given that the other stadiums have been completed for years?

The redevelopment plans have been consistently opposed by local residents. By April 2021 there had been over 1,000 written objections and the minister admitted she had not yet met any objectors. Belfast City Councillor Matt Collins (People Before Profit) also questioned the Council’s decision to approve the plans without any formal consultation with residents.

Why have residents objected?

Objections have been around the scale of the development. Building a 34,500-capacity stadium is a big undertaking that will require significant construction works in the years leading up to the opening and, of course, to many more people travelling in and out of the area for events. It is worth noting, however, that the plan also means that a stadium manager must be appointed alongside event safety staff and travel plan staff.

Funding has also been an issue for redevelopment. The GAA had pledged £15 million towards the cost but had indicated it was reluctant to commit any more to the project even with an increase in public funding. Given that the cost estimate had risen from £77 million to the current £110 million, this led to concerns about public finances being put under even more strain. Representatives from both the DUP and Sinn Féin suggested that the GAA should contribute more money following the increase in cost. The SDLP believes the Executive should make up any shortfall in funding; however, the funding required would be coming from the Department of Communities, a departmental brief currently held by Sinn Féin’s Deirdre Hargey.

Will it really go ahead?

In the end this is all academic. Although Nichola Mallon has approved the plans, it still remains unclear when the work may begin. Once complete, Casement Park would become the largest stadium in Northern Ireland.

This raises more interesting questions. Will the stadium be used for concerts and other events? Might  it even be included in the joint UK and Ireland bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup and so bring international football to west Belfast? It may be too soon to answer these questions but perhaps they’re what may determine whether or not objectors to the redevelopment can be won over and ultimately if the project will be deemed value for money.