Northern Ireland

GAA appoints new Casement Park project director

Chartered surveyor Rory Miskelly
Chartered surveyor Rory Miskelly Chartered surveyor Rory Miskelly

THE GAA has made three new senior appointments to oversee the troubled Casement Park stadium redevelopment project.

Chartered surveyor Rory Miskelly, who worked on the Titanic Belfast visitor centre and new facilities at Ulster rugby's Kingspan Stadium, will act as project director.

Prof John Cole and Michael McGuckin have also been added to the project board to progress plans to redevelop the ground in west Belfast.

Prof Cole is an architect who worked as deputy secretary and chief estates officer in the Department of Health before retiring in 2013.

Mr McGuckin is a chartered civil engineer who for 20 years until his retirement in 2011 worked as chief executive of Cookstown District Council.

The GAA said it would begin a public and community consultation on new proposals early next year.

It follows a report led by the British Cabinet Office that made several recommendations on how to get the £77 million project back on track.

The report was commissioned following serious safety concerns raised in April over proposals to build a 38,000-seat stadium on the site.

Planning approval to redevelop Casement was overturned in the High Court last December after a judge ruled it was unlawful.