Casement Park project: Sports Grounds Safety Authority disputes report

The stadium project has been dogged by issues of safety in its design

The GAA's Casement Park stadium project looks set for more problems.

The leading UK authority on sports ground safety has distanced itself from a report seen by some as a 'route map' to getting the scheme back on track.

The report was published last month. It is called a "project assessment review" and was compiled by Cabinet Office officials.

The BBC understands that the Sports Grounds Safety Authority is unhappy with parts of it.

That is even though it referred to them as specialist contributors.

The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) is planning to build a 38,000-capacity stadium at its existing west Belfast sports ground, Casement Park.

However, the project has been dogged by issues of safety in its design.

Paul Scott, a safety chief on the project, raised concerns. He said that any design must allow for the ground to be evacuated in an emergency within eight minutes and that the pitch itself cannot be part of the emergency exiting plan.

His comments prompted several investigations.

Last month the project assessment review, commissioned by the Culture and Leisure Minister Carál Ní Chuilín and carried out by the Cabinet Office, recommended Mr Scott's removal as head of the safety group and concluded the new stadium was still achievable.

It said there could be flexibility on the eight minutes and that the pitch could be used as part of the plan.

Now, information has been provided to Stormont MLAs by the Sports Ground Safety Authority.

Known as the SGSA, it is the leading UK body on stadium safety.

Its chief executive said that while its experts were referred to in the Cabinet Office report, they had been asked general questions and were not asked to comment in detail on the specifics of the Casement plans.

It went on to say the conclusions "should not be taken to represent the SGSA's advice on the specifics" in relation to Casement.

Crucially, when it comes to the disputed eight-minute timescale and the pitch being used as a place of safety, the SGSA appears to agree with Paul Scott.

The SGSA also told MLAs that in new stadia, the exit routes should "allow all spectators to exit the stadium in an emergency without having to exit onto the pitch".

Building the new Casement Park has been hampered by all these technical questions on stadium safety.

DCAL may have hoped that last month's project review appeared to have found a way forward - but the recognised industry experts in stadium safety are now saying the report reflects the views of others rather than the SGSA.

The SGSA is expected to be called before MLAs some time later this year.