IFA Receives Planning Permission for Windsor Revamp

Windsor Park looks set for a £29.2 million redevelopment as the Irish Football Association received planning permission from the Department of the Environment on Wednesday with work scheduled to begin on the South Belfast stadium in September.

Northern Ireland’s Executive pledged of up to £110 million of government funding for the redevelopment of three regional sports stadiums at Ravenhill, Windsor Park and Casement Park and the Irish FA submitted its planning application before Christmas following a consultation process with people and stakeholders across Northern Ireland.

The approved plans will see Northern Ireland's home ground, also that of Irish League champions Linfield, expanded to a capacity of 18,000 with all four stands being renovated, replaced or - in the case of the south stand - rebuilt from scratch and is scheduled to be completed in the summer of 2015.

IFA president Jim Shaw welcomed the decision saying:

"Receiving planning permission from DOE Planning is another major step in the Windsor Park redevelopment project and a great step forward for football in Northern Ireland.

"Everyone involved in the project has worked extremely hard to get to this stage and I would like to thank everyone involved in the project as well as all the stakeholders who shared their thoughts during the consultation process.

"The national football stadium plans are truly impressive and I know that once the redevelopment project is complete Windsor Park will be a stadium which we will all be proud of."