Residents object to Belfast's £70m Casement Park stadium plans

A Belfast residents' group has issued a formal objection to the proposed new £70m GAA Casement Park stadium.

The Department of Environment has received a letter of objection from west Belfast’s The Mooreland and Owenvarragh Residents' Association (MORA).

The residents' group is opposing the plans on the grounds of “quality of lives, major restrictions during major events and value of properties will be greatly affected.”

Work on the 38,000 all-seater stadium is due to start in early 2014 with a view to hosting GAA Games (Gaelic Athletic Association) in 2016.

A spokesperson from Ulster GAA said: “We remain totally committed to the redevelopment of the Casement Park stadium to meet the strategic needs of the GAA in Ulster.

Ulster GAA are committed to ensuring the Casement Park redevelopment has a significant and positive economic and social impact on the local area and wider Belfast by creating 1,400 jobs in the construction industry and also bringing significant GAA events back to Belfast.”

The stadium has yet to gain final planning approval.