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Walkout leaves planners waiting Walkout leaves designers waiting
(40 minutes later)
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.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. UUP and DUP assembly members walked out, saying they should first have been shown feasibility studies and business cases for the development.
The politicians said they should first have been shown feasibility studies and business cases for the development.
The proposed stadium was drawn up by HOK Sport, which also designed Wembley.The proposed stadium was drawn up by HOK Sport, which also designed Wembley.
The designers had travelled fron England for the presentation but were left outside while politicians argued.
BBC political correspondent Gareth Gordon said it "may be viewed as the day when the confusion around the Maze descended into farce".BBC political correspondent Gareth Gordon said it "may be viewed as the day when the confusion around the Maze descended into farce".
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. We as a committee need to know how much this lovely drawing is going to cost David McNarryUlster Unionist MLA There has been much controversy over where the stadium should be located, given the history of the Maze prison.
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.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, 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. Ulster Unionist Culture Arts and Leisure committee member David McNarry said: "We as a committee need to know how much this lovely drawing is going to cost - we can't get this information from them.
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 my opinion it's an own-goal by our committee Kieran McCarthyAlliance Party MLA "Our job is to scrutinise, to ask the minister to bring forward the details, and we are very unhappy with today's developments."
In both cases, senior civil servants have recommended the Maze goes ahead. However, his colleague on the committee, Kieran McCarthy of the Alliance Party, said the situation was "a complete fiasco".
But, unless the plan gets the backing of the DUP assembly party Mr Robinson will find it virtually impossible to proceed. "In my opinion it's an own-goal by our committee. They had the opportunity not only to see what's being proposed, but to ask questions and they threw it out," he said.
The plans were eventually released to the media, but designer Janine Graham said she was disappointed they did not get the chance to present them to the committee.
"I don't know if we'll still have an opportunity to do that, but it's good to get the images out there and show what we're doing. Hopefully people will be excited," she said.
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.