A SUPPORTERS’ club chief has called for drawings of the proposed new international football stadium to be rolled out further than Belfast in order to maximise consultation.
The cost of the project will be around £29m, with £25m coming from government and the balance coming from the Irish Football Association (IFA).
Gary McAllister, from the Amalgamation of Northern Ireland Supporters Clubs, said that supporters who saw the plans to redevelop Windsor Park at a meeting on Wednesday night were unreservedly positive.
“It was the first time we had a detailed look at the plans and I have to say we were impressed,” Gary said.
“We had the opportunity to put our views as supporters to the architects and we are glad to say those views have largely been taken on board. But let’s see if it can be opened up so that supporters outside Belfast can also see the plans.”
The plan is to bring seating capacity up from 14,000 to 18,099, he said. Work is due to begin in September or October 2013 and must be completed by the end of March 2015 in order to qualify for funding, he understands.
Copies of the plans have been sent out to seven leisure centres across Belfast for members of the Green and White army to peruse and discuss, the IFA said.
Only an artist’s impression has been published at this stage, an IFA spokesman said.
“We are interested in people’s thoughts and ideas on things we had not thought about. We are asking people to fill in the questionnaire and view the image on the IFA website.”
Subject to budget, submissions will go to the architect at the end of 2012 and then construction will begin, he added.
The plans are on view at Ballysillan Leisure Centre; Andersonstown Leisure Centre; Olympia Leisure Centre; Ozone Complex Ormeau Park; Greater Village Regeneration Trust Offices Donegall Road; Irish FA Offices at Adelaide Business Centre, Apollo Road and Belfast City Hall.
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