As Belfast City Council has announced a shortlist of five potential sites for a multi-purpose sports stadium in the city, Bob Stoker, Chairman of the council's Parks and Leisure Committee, repeated his call to the Government to work in conjunction with the council and for private developers to deliver the stadium in the most cost effective way to meet the needs of the sports and the demands of the fans for a city location.

The council is also sending a copy of the business plan for a Belfast stadium, produced by development consultants Driver Jonas, to Department for Finance and Personnel and Department of Culture, Arts and Leisure for their consideration.

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The five sites are Maysfield, Ormeau Park, North Foreshore, Boucher Road and Blanchflower/Tommy Patton Park.

The council is to employ the consultants to do a final piece of work to rank the five sites using set evaluation criteria.

Councillor Stoker said: "Contrary to reports in the media yesterday that the only viable site was at Ormeau Embankment, we actually have five sites for which we can make a strong argument for locating a sports stadium in the city.

"The media report that it is now down to two private developers to deliver is not accurate either, we haven't reached that stage yet.

"All the evidence shows that sports stadia should be in city centre locations and we believe the business plan that has been developed is the clearest indication yet that the stadium should be located in Belfast.

"We have now forwarded the business plan to central government and look forward to entering into detailed discussions with the Executive and the private sector to come up with a solution that will meet all of our needs in terms of viability, value for money and a major sports facility of which we can all be proud."

See: Maze Belfast Alternatives Identified

(JM)