Derry City: Councillors press for Brandywell funding date

The Lone Moor Road ground has been the home of Derry City since the north west club's inception in 1928

The next stage of redevelopment of the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium cannot proceed until the executive confirms when funding will be allocated, councillors have said.

Stormont committed £36m to developing stadia across Northern Ireland in 2015.

Following the return of power-sharing in 2020, the New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) deal included an intention to complete stadium projects.

Phase one of the Brandywell upgrade finished in 2018.

Derry City and Strabane District Council, which owns the ground, said phase two had full planning permission but it could not move forward until the Department for Communities (DfC) gave a date for funding being released.

Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle on Tuesday, councillor Brian Tierney said councillors had written to the DfC to seek an update.

"What we said in that letter is that we want to know what the hold-up is," Mr Tierney told the programme.

"We want to know when will we expect to see an announcement around this funding opening?"

Aontú councillor Emmet Doyle said the "council is ready to go" and described the delay as "totally unacceptable".

"We have been waiting for this for a number of years, it's a commitment set out in New Decade, New Approach and we are still waiting," he explained.

The first phase of the ground's redevelopment was completed in 2018 at a cost of about £7m

Phase one of Derry City's stadium, which cost about £7m, saw the development of a brand new 955-seater stand, now known as the Mark Farren Stand, along with new changing and media facilities. 

It also saw the installation of a new synthetic turf pitch, as well as a standalone dog track, the refurbishment of the south-end stand and additional car parking.

In November 2016, then deputy first minister Martin McGuiness said he expected funding for phase two for Derry City's stadium to be allocated in 2017.

However, any plans for advancing the project came to a halt following the collapse of power-sharing at Stormont in January 2017.

• Derry City's rebirth in League of Ireland recalled in BBC documentary

• Farewell to Brandywell's sloped pitch

Once power-sharing was restored in 2020, the Sub Regional Sports Stadia Programme (SRSP) became a New Decade, New Approach (NDNA) commitment.

The Regional Stadia Programme and Sub-Regional Stadia Programme, included in NDNA, is designed to address the deficit in stadia provision in Northern Ireland.

The deal outlined an intention to complete planned stadia projects, including redeveloping Casement Park project in west Belfast.

Workmen removed the goalposts as work got underway during phase one of the redevelopment of the Ryan McBride Brandywell Stadium in 2018

A DfC spokesperson said the communities minister had requested officials review the SRSP to ensure "current and future needs for soccer at all levels were appropriately addressed".

"Once considered the minister intends to update executive colleagues on the proposals for the way forward for the programme," they said.

The spokesperson confirmed that "no money has yet been allocated to date" for the project and that they were not in a position to give a timeframe as to when that will happen.