Promising news from the Irish FA regarding Northern Ireland's home venue...
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| Jim
Kerr (Linfield FC Chairman), Heidi-Beth Hudson (SportNI representative) and Jim Shaw (Irish FA President). |
THE Irish FA is
delighted to receive a Letter of Offer from DCAL to allow the Association to
begin the first stage of the Windsor Park redevelopment
project.
The Irish FA has been
working closely with DCAL, SportNI and Linfield Football Club regarding the
stadium project and the Association acknowledges the great work involved to date
from all the partners.
Irish FA President,
Jim Shaw said: “It is great
to finally get the go-ahead from DCAL for our plans for the redevelopment of
Windsor Park. This is a great step forward for football in Northern Ireland.
We have a long way to go and a lot of hard work ahead of us before Windsor Park
is complete, but this is a major step in the process and we are delighted that
we have been given the green light.”
Sports
Minister, Carál Ní Chuilín said: “Taken together the three stadium projects make
up one of the largest construction programmes being taken forward by the
Executive in the coming years. The IFA will receive £25.2m to redevelop Windsor
Park to raise the capacity to 18,000. I welcome the news that the IFA have
reached this important milestone.”
Linfield FC
Chairman Jim Kerr said: “We are delighted to be part of this major step forward
for football and really excited at the prospect of both Linfield and Northern
Ireland teams fans getting the stadium they deserve. We have worked very hard to
ensure that the structure and management of the new ground is fair and equitable
to all parties and, having signed the legal agreement, we look forward to
working with our partners in the coming months and years.”
The Irish FA is also delighted to announce that contract negotiations between the Association and Linfield Football Club have concluded and that the contract has now been signed by both parties.
Following the
appointment of a Planning Consultant, the next stage of the Windsor Park
redevelopment project will involve the appointment of an Integrated Consultant
Team (Designers). The Integrated Consultant Team will develop the works
information and the design of the new stadium and will work in co-operation with
the Planning Consultant to lodge the planning application in December
2012.
Also, during the
period of developing the works information and during the planning application
period the Integrated Consultant Team will procure the Integrated Supply Team
(Design and Build Contractor) who when appointed in July 2013 will develop the
final design of the stadium and build the two new stands and refurbish the two
existing stands.
It is proposed that
the phased construction works will commence in August 2013:
·
Completion
of East Stand
·
Demolition
Works - South Stand
·
Completion
of South Stand
·
Renovation
works to North Stand
·
Renovation
works to West Stand
·
Completion
of the Stadium Project
The exact dates for
the phased construction works will be confirmed by the Integrated Supply Team;
however the Irish FA is anticipating the final completion of all construction
works in summer 2015.
See also:
Venues: Windsor Park
Irish FA Office Bearers
