Windsor Park Renovation Plans Granted Approval

The Irish Football Association have announced they will upgrade their national football stadium, order Windsor Park after receiving planning permission.

The £30m redevelopment will increase capacity to 18,000 by rebuilding the south end of the venue and upgrading existing stands including adding integrated lighting in the roof. There will also be improved conferencing facilities plus a new headquarters for the Irish FA.

“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,” said Irish FA President, Jim Shaw.  “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,” he added.

More than 80 per cent of the construction cost funded coming from government funds and is part of major upgrade to sporting venues in Northern Ireland.

Sport Minister Carál Ni Chuilín said: “The Irish Football Association is now able to move to the next stage of their ambition to create a modern stadium to cater for the needs of the whole football community. I am sure the new ground will be enjoyed by generations to come.”

It is planned that work on the project will begin in September 2013.