Cork county board have been given the go-ahead to redevelop Pairc Ui Chaoimh.

Cork City Council yesterday voted 17-11 in favour of GAA plans to buy six extra acres from City Hall to expand the stadium and attach a centre of excellence, with an all-weather facility, at the venue.

Without the extra land, the GAA would not have pressed ahead with their ambitious plans to transform Pairc Ui Chaoimh into a modern 50,000-seater stadium. The redevelopment is expected to cost in the region of EUR50 million.

Cork chairman Jerry O'Sullivan said negotiations will now begin in earnest over the financial terms of the agreement and is hopeful that the first phase of the development will be completed within two years.

"We're absolutely delighted and I think this a landmark day for GAA in the county," the Cloyne clubman said.

"I'm delighted for sports people in the entire county - and for the GAA people. But this is only the very first step and the real hard work starts now. We'll be negotiating with the City Council now to do a deal for the cost of the land.

"Then the planning phase will take place and certainly I'd hope to have phase one completed within a two-year term."

O'Sullivan admitted that he was concerned that the project might not get the City Council's blessing after City Manager Joe Gavin indicated last week that he would be opposed to giving the GAA all of the land they were seeking because he feared the impact it would have on the wider development of the docklands area.

Pairc Ui Chaoimh will be closed to big matches during reconstruction, but O'Sullivan is hoping it will remain open for local games. Tweet

Most Read Stories