Pat Ramsey calls on Council to Seize New Opprotunity for Brandywell Development

There is a major opportunity for Derry City Council to take a lead in the development of the Brandywell Sports Ground through moneys available from Sport Northern Ireland and the Department of Culture Arts and Leisure.

Prior to the recession, The Brandywell Development Company, had been making good progress on their business plans for a sporting, retails and office complex at the grounds that would provide long term economic sustainability for the club. However, it is my understanding that in the current economic climate it is unrealistic to expect those plans to be progressed and they will have to be put on hold.

However, there are opportunities for other sources of funding. Some of them were recently identified in the SDLP economic document, New Priorities in Difficult Times, in which we identified £50 million of the money that had been earmarked for the Maze Stadium should now be reallocated to sports stadium improvements.

I have had a number of very positive and encouraging meetings with sports Minister Gregory Campbell, with Department of Culture Arts and Leisure officials, officials from Sport Northern Ireland and with officers from Derry City Council in relation to the development of the ground. It is clear that the Mr Campbell and his officials are very keen to see development at the Brandywell and they are very positive that they can make financial investments. We have identified alternative sources of funding for the club which would provide substantial moneys that would bring the stadium up to the standards that the fans and players have a right to expect.

Of course, this funding would not prevent or interfere with future developments by the Brandywell Development Company. Derry City Fans, officials and players have worked very hard to develop the club so that it plays at the highest level possible, both domestically and internationally. Given the standard of football and exemplary nature of the fans, it is right that they should have proper player and spectator facilities.

Derry City Council owns the Brandywell and, as landlord, the council has responsibility to take a lead on this. I have asked officials at Derry City Council to take a lead on this project, to develop a plan B and to seize the opportunity to develop the Brandywell stadium to a high standard.