Mid and East Antrim Council seeks meeting with minister over stadium plan

According to a report to Mid and East Antrim Council, proposals include facilities that could potentially accommodate an under-21 football tournament in 2023 which would have a 6,000-8,000 seating requirement.

Hamilton Architects has now presented an assessment around the feasibility of enhancing the stadium to meet the requirements of any European tournament.

However, the council has been told there is no funding available through UEFA and the IFA and any funding to “realise the potential of the Showgrounds” would need to come through the Northern  Ireland Executive’s Sub-Regional Stadia Fund.

Council anticipates a “substantial funding package” could be secured through this fund.

The local authority is seeking an urgent meeting with the Minister for Communities Deirdre Hargey “to demonstrate the plans, progress and ambition of council and local clubs and continue to seek the necessary funding to be released”.

Larne Lough DUP Councillor Gregg McKeen, chair of the Borough Growth Committee, said the IFA “do not seem to want to put their hands in their pockets”.

Meanwhile, a report to the council stated that “extensive work in partnership with the local clubs has been progressed to enhance and modernise” facilities and to bring them up to a “safe standard”.

This includes “significant work” at Taylor’s Avenue in Carrickfergus with “extensive maintenance work” to the stand at a cost of £25,000; new dugouts worth £3,500 as well as the installation of new mobile conference facilities in the boardroom and safety patrol tower at a cost of £40,000, half of which was funded by council.

A new toilet block is to be installed this month at a cost of £10,500 by the Department for Communities.

A funding application for £70,000 to Sport NI realised £69,100 and will be used to provide emergency lighting, new PA system, new safety gates and tarmacking.

Meanwhile, a letter of offer has been issued to Larne FC is relation to the award of maximum funding of £0.25m to support further redevelopment of Inver Park.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter.