OCP Ireland, the Lisburn based project management company responsible for managing the relocation of the Balmoral Show to Balmoral Park, anticipates the ongoing construction at the former Maze prison site will inject tens of millions into the beleaguered local construction industry.

The local company is already calling on local suppliers, contractors and businesses to register their company details as work at the new home of the Balmoral Show is expected to provide contract opportunities for the next ten years.

OCP Ireland is developing the brownfield site at the former Maze Long Kesh prison and has already delivered the initial footprint for the new 65-acre exhibition and event space – with the inaugural Balmoral Show getting underway in only five weeks. Since getting on site OCP Ireland has overseen the delivery of the infrastructure to date including: laying 253,000 sq metres of surfaces including 32,000 sq metres of grass for the arena areas; excavating and recycling 26,500 tonnes of concrete; installing 13,000 metres of underground services and landscaping 15,000 sq metres of banking including over 10,000 trees and plants within the site.

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Ross Ellerby from OCP Ireland advised: "The numbers illustrate the sheer scale of the site. As a local company working in partnership with our client the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS) we are committed to working on this project for many years to come. We aim to ensure the majority of work delivered on the multi-million pound Balmoral Park site is delivered by local contractors. Balmoral Park is being created to cater for the local agricultural and events industry and we want to support the local construction industry whenever possible. Most of our existing phase one suppliers and contractors come within a 15-mile radius of the site and we intend to maintain our focus on creating a locally delivered solution."

Balmoral Park is now the largest construction site in Northern Ireland and OCP Ireland is already managing nine local construction companies and 24 material supply companies to support the initial infrastructure delivery for the 2013 Balmoral Show in May. Further contractors will be required as construction continues at pace to prepare for the 2014 Show and beyond.

The 2013 Balmoral Show will be taking place at Balmoral Park, on the outskirts of Lisburn, from Wednesday 15th May to Friday 17th May.

(CD)