FOOTBALL pitch plans on a bonfire site beside a new leisure centre look set to be ditched after builders were allegedly threatened by the UVF.
Two new 3G pitches are to be constructed on the site and an existing play park refurbished as part of a £20 million redevelopment of the old Robinson Centre in east Belfast.
But councillors have been told contractors were threatened by the UVF over the Clonduff Drive site, which has historically been used for an Eleventh night bonfire.
A council committee is to meet next week and is expected to decide whether any works planned for the site should now be abandoned.
SDLP councillor Séamas de Faoite said he understood contractors have been "forced off-site twice" following threats alleged to have come from the East Belfast UVF.
However, police said they have not received any reports of threats made against contractors.
Loyalist blogger Jamie Bryson also denied that contractors have been threatened by loyalist paramilitaries.
He was speaking on behalf of a group calling itself the 'East Belfast Community Initiative', which claims to "mediate on behalf of ex-combatants formerly linked to the East Belfast UVF".
"East Belfast Community Initiative have spoken to mediators and are absolutely clear that there is no threat, nor has there been any threat made, against any contractors," he told Belfast Live.
He said the group has been working with the council and contractors "to try and find positive solutions to this particular issue".
Mr de Faoite said Belfast City Council received information from contractors working on the new Lisnasharragh Leisure Centre about threats against them relating to the site previously used for bonfires.
He described the alleged threats as "vile intimidation", and warned it could result in the "failure to deliver new 3G pitches and a children's playpark".
Alliance councillor Eric Hanvey called for the threats to be lifted.
"The people behind this bullying behaviour don't speak for the community and a 3G pitch for community use year-round is more important than a big bonfire on one day of the year," he said.
A police spokeswoman said: "PSNI has not received reports of threats made against contractors working at Lisnasharragh Leisure Centre."
A Belfast council spokeswoman said: "Council officers are due to report to politicians on the work remaining to be carried out at the rear of the Lisnasharragh site at a meeting of Strategic Policy and Resources committee later this month. We would not comment further prior to that meeting."
