Casement Park: West Belfast residents group lose stadium appeal

A west Belfast residents' group has lost its legal challenge to the stadium redevelopment at Casement Park.

The Mooreland and Owenvarragh Residents' Association tried to overturn planning permission granted in 2021.

A 34,500-capacity stadium is planned at the site.

Earlier this year, residents took legal action against the then-Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon's decision to allow the project to go ahead.

They objected to its size and impact on the surrounding area.

The Casement Park site has not been in use since 2013.

On Tuesday, High Court judge Mr Justice Humphreys found against the residents whose lawyers argued that Ms Mallon acted in breach of the ministerial code, depriving them of the protection of having the plans subject to further scrutiny.

The judge said the minister was entitled to approve the planning permission without referring it to the executive.

He also did not accept their arguments on a series of alleged errors in the planning process.

Mr Justice Humphreys held that other Stormont ministers were fully briefed, and that Ms Mallon retained legal authority to take the decision.

"This was not a 'solo run' by the minister in that she kept her executive colleagues informed as to her intentions, which received widespread support, and expressly alluded to regionally significant planning applications such as Casement Park," he said.

"There is no evidence that any minister disagreed with the decision to grant planning permission for Casement Park."

The Mooreland and Owenvarragh Residents' Association said it was "very disappointed with today's ruling".

"At this time, we need to study the judgement in more detail before making any further comment."

Ciarán McCavana, county chairman of Antrim GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association), said it was a "positive day".

"We in Antrim want to see Casement Park built so the current generation have the opportunity to play at Casement Park," he said.

The court was also told how redevelopment of Casement Park was uniquely identified in the New Decade New Approach agreement, which led to the restoration of Northern Ireland's power-sharing administration in 2020.

Based on that document, Ms Mallon was said to have acted lawfully in how she dealt with the planning application and informed her Stormont colleagues.

If the project does now proceed, it is not yet clear how it will be funded as the new stadium is expected to cost much more than the original estimate of £77.5m.

Last year, Paul Givan of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), who was first minister at the time, suggested the final bill could be more than £140m.

The GAA has previously insisted it does not intend to increase its £15m contribution.

The redevelopment of Casement Park is part of a sports investment plan which began a decade ago, including upgrades to the Ulster Rugby ground at Ravenhill and Windsor Park football stadium.

Tom Daly, chairman of the Casement Park Project Board, told BBC Radio Ulster's Evening Extra programme that the £15m was an "absolute commitment despite the fact that we have incurred huge opportunity costs for not having the stadium available to us in 2016" as originally planned.

He said the original stadium investment plan involved "a commitment given by the first minister and deputy first minister that the strategic needs of the three sports bodies would be independently met".

"We'll now be working with the Department for Communities and Department of Finance to see that that's delivered for the GAA."

Stephen McGeehan, Ulster GAA project sponsor, said: "We've been given a commitment that the budget shortfall will be met by the Stormont Executive, whenever that is in place, and we'll start those conversations with elected representatives as soon as this afternoon."

Mr McGeehan said attention will now turn to design development, updating the business case and working with the Department of Communities on funding matters.

"When the project can start and finish will determine the cost, so we hope now work can start in 2023. That means we hope to complete in 2025."

Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey, of Sinn Féin, said construction at Casement Park must move at pace.

She welcomed the decision to uphold planning permission for the development.

Asked what the overall cost would be and how it would be paid for, she said it was too early to say as that was still being finalised.

She said the decision to prioritise regional stadia had already been made "and now the focus needs to switch on finally getting Casement Park built and that's the job that I will take on in the coming days and weeks".