GAA move a step closer to long-awaited Casement Park redevelopment

The GAA have moved one step closer to a successful redevelopment of Casement Park.

The old home of Antrim GAA, and one of the most iconic grounds in the country, has lain empty for several years now after various sporting and administrative mishaps. The GAA's hopes for a new 40,000-plus capacity stadium in Belfast ground to a halt after safety concerns were raised by an external audit, while the GAA's planning permission for works at the grounds also lapsed in 2015. In response to growing concerns that the GAA may never get to rebuild the venue, a consultation group was formed in March to get the views of local residents about the future development of a provincial stadium. The consultation period, which it was hoped would take 20 weeks, is coming to a close, and two exhibitions this week are part of the process to keep locals more informed about the GAA's revised plans. https://twitter.com/BBCMarkSimpson/status/735123509698043905 Today's event is the first of three exhibitions that are aimed at getting on the ground feedback on the proposed plans. https://twitter.com/Gaels4Casement/status/735098023869612032 There is to be another consultation period later this summer, after which it is hoped to submit a revised planning application by the end of the year. https://twitter.com/brendanhughes64/status/735089546795311104 There are no draft plans for what the newly revised stadium may look like, but the GAA is understood to be anxious to try and keep any new development close to the original proposed capacity of 38,000. Residents are understood to want a much smaller capacity, at little over 25,000. Hopefully, the current process comes to a speedy conclusion. https://twitter.com/FallMcfall/status/734863606811070464 Even Antrim GAA are sick of the saga it seems. https://twitter.com/AontroimGAA/status/734122910416293893