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Welcome to Ormeau Park – a website dedicated to helping save one of Belfast’s oldest parks from destruction. Do you want things like this happening on the Ormeau and Ravenhill Roads? Do you trust someone like this to make a sensible decision? No? Then make your voice heard - let your local representative know what you think about putting a stadium in Ormeau Park.
Ormeau Park is one of Belfast’s most important public spaces - it is in danger of losing around one-third of its area to the development of a national stadium. Not only will the stadium result in the loss (forever) of a considerable area of the park, it will dominate what remains and destroy the character of the park. This site does not oppose a stadium in principle, but strongly objects to it being located at Ormeau. The proposed development would mean:
Belfast does not have green space to spare - it can't afford to lose any of it. On principle, public parks should be treasured, not built on. This is a principle that the City Council had, until recently, apparently accepted:
Belfast City Council are hypocrites to even entertain the idea of building on a public park - I advise anyone interested in seeing the full extent of this to read the Your City, Your Space strategy. Belfast City Council were also one (of only three) local authorities across the entire UK that failed to complete the survey for the Public Park Assessment on time - Belfast was therefore excluded from the final results. Even without the loss of open public space, the green areas of Belfast are under persistent attack from developers. Our own Finance Minister is currently giving a fine demonstration of how greed and poor planning control is little by little eroding our environment. The Planning Service makes the following statement in PPS8: Open space is essential in any community for both amenity and recreation purposes and often contributes positively to the character, attractiveness and vitality of our cities, towns and villages. It provides areas for play - an essential element in the development of all children – and enhances the quality of the residential environment. It can also provide valuable areas for nature conservation and biodiversity, act as a buffer between conflicting land uses, help reduce flood risk, promote pedestrian linkages and provide ‘green lungs’ that can assist in meeting objectives to improve air quality. Ultimately open space and the use of such space contributes to the health and quality of life for all. No one should be fooled into thinking that the proposed stadium will be there "for the people of the city" and will provide a public space. It will be a privately managed commercial operation which may provide an amenity, but only for those who can afford it.
Supporters of a stadium at Ormeau talk optimistically of "integrated transport" and the benefit of a venue within walking distance of the city centre. Don't you believe it! People with cars will drive to the stadium, they won't take public transport.
To imagine that motorists (particularly those travelling long distances) are going to abandon the car is utter rubbish.
Increased anti-social behaviour This summer the concerts at Ormeau were marked by anti-social behaviour in the Holylands. If something as apparently uncontroversial as a music event can trigger trouble, imagine what a Linfield match or a GAA game could start in the surrounding sensitive areas.
Deterioration in the quality of life Public Parks are an important factor in improving quality of life in a city. This year the European Commission published a Survey on perceptions of quality of life in 75 European cities. In terms of satisfaction with the provision of green spaces and open parks Belfast finished 42nd (behind Dublin, Glasgow, Manchester and Newcastle upon Tyne) - how will building on Ormeau Park improve the provision of our green spaces? |
