The “NEW” stadium will be on the same site that was home to the old Casement Park and built on what was considered on a green field site and opened in June 1953.

The old site for Casement Park, built in that post war period, was right on the edge Belfast as it was then. It was in fact also, the end of line for city bus transport for that part of the city which ended right outside the gates and the bus terminus for the old trolley buses was right outside the gates.

Another key fact which many may not be aware of was that even then, the old Casement Park, was designed and built with the playing surface below the surrounding area with the existing stand, unimposing. This was to ensure that Casement Park would blend in with the area and to have no impact or overshadowing of the adjacent housing. This housing included  the already built properties in Moreland Park and the further new housing that was to be built in Owenvarragh which was  built right after Casement Park opened. All of this housing  would then surround the old Casement Park on three sides, hence the local name of the “Horse Shoe”

Casement Park is highlighted, NEW, because it is totally different when we compare to the other two recent developments. There is a quite definite distinction between this proposed development as opposed to Ravenhill and Windsor park where the money was used to upgrade and modernise existing stadiums with both having capacity of around 18,000. Both of these stadiums whilst also on existing restricted sites, with surrounding housing developments, are significantly, not built on what has now become a main arterial route, the Andersonstown Road, now used by thousands of commuters on a daily basis. The existing stadium is now to be demolished and a complete new stadium is being proposed on this site. A site which has changed greatly in almost sixty years so completely unsuitable , for any high rise stadium of this size and proportion.

The site for the NEW Casement Park or any new stadium large scale development is now completely outdated. This has also been the case for most of the old stadiums built throughout the world, and why they relocate when building new and modernised stadiums.

The tragedies of Ibrox, Bradford, Hillsborough, Hysel, and Paris stadiums to name a few have seen health and safety of stadiums become vital. The emphasis

on safely getting into and out of these areas both in normal but more importantly in emergency situations now paramount. That this site is probably one of the most restricted of most of the old stadium sites cannot be overlooked, but sadly this now seems to be the case.