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MLAs walk out on stadium planners Walkout leaves planners waiting
(about 1 hour later)
Ulster Unionist and DUP assembly members have walked out of a meeting with the Maze stadium designers. A meeting where plans for a sport stadium at the former Maze prison site were to be unveiled has been adjourned for the rest of the day.
It came after Ulster Unionist and DUP assembly members walked out of the meeting with the stadium designers who had travelled from England.
They said they should first have been shown feasibility studies and business cases for the development.They said they should first have been shown feasibility studies and business cases for the development.
Plans for a sports stadium at the site of the former prison in County Antrim are due to be unveiled at Stormont later on Thursday. The proposed stadium was drawn up by HOK Sport, which also designed Wembley.
Members of the Culture Arts and Leisure committee are now meeting the minister Edwin Poots to discuss the plan. BBC political correspondent Gareth Gordon said it "may be viewed as the day when the confusion around the Maze descended into farce".
The proposed stadium has been designed by HOK Sport, the company which also designed Wembley. One of the H-blocks is to be retained under the plansThere has been much controversy over where the stadium should be located, given the history of the Maze prison.
Slides illustrating the ultra modern arena will be shown to the committee before being put on display. Plans to retain an H-Block and the prison hospital as a Conflict Transformation Centre have led to a lack of DUP support for the project.
In July, Mr Poots told the committee the stadium business case should be ready for the autumn. In July, Sports Minister Edwin Poots, who is also DUP assembly member for Lagan Valley where the Maze is located, told the committee the stadium business case should be ready for the autumn.
The deadline passed, but now the BBC understands both the business cases for the stadium and the entire Maze site should be with Finance Minister Peter Robinson by the end of this week.The deadline passed, but now the BBC understands both the business cases for the stadium and the entire Maze site should be with Finance Minister Peter Robinson by the end of this week.
In both cases, senior civil servants have recommended the Maze goes ahead.In both cases, senior civil servants have recommended the Maze goes ahead.
But, unless the plan gets the backing of the DUP assembly party Mr Robinson will find it virtually impossible to proceed.But, unless the plan gets the backing of the DUP assembly party Mr Robinson will find it virtually impossible to proceed.
Plans to retain an H-Block and the prison hospital as a Conflict Transformation Centre have led to a lack of DUP support for the project.
The GAA, IFA and Ulster Rugby have all confirmed they would play at the stadium and have all signed a document estimating the minimum number of supporters they would hope to attract there annually.The GAA, IFA and Ulster Rugby have all confirmed they would play at the stadium and have all signed a document estimating the minimum number of supporters they would hope to attract there annually.
The plan is for a 35,000-seater stadium for soccer and rugby, and the provision of more seats for GAA fans.The plan is for a 35,000-seater stadium for soccer and rugby, and the provision of more seats for GAA fans.