New Finn Harps Stadium
The New Finn Harps Stadium is a stalled construction project in Stranorlar, Ireland. The stadium was initially intended to have a capacity of 6,800 spectators, and proposed as an association football venue to replace Finn Park as the home stadium of Finn Harps F.C.. Planning permission was granted in June 2007,[1] and ground breaking was started in May 2008. After intermediate delays, work recommenced in late 2011 with foundations in place.[2][3] The project was again delayed in October 2012.[4] "Minimal work" was undertaken on the project between 2014 and January 2020, with the project stalled pending a proposed investment of โฌ6.7 million in state funding.[5]
Artist's impression | |
Location | Railway Road, Stranorlar, Republic of Ireland |
---|---|
Capacity | 5,700 (4,200 seated) |
Surface | Grass |
Construction | |
Broke ground | 2008 |
Architect | Joseph McMenamin & Sons |
Tenants | |
Finn Harps FC |
History
Initial drawings had the stadium planned as a 7,000 seater stadium, but minor changes were made to make it a 6,600 all-seat stadium. Ground was broken in 2008 but it wasn't until 2014 that significant building work was undertaken on site. Some of these delays were due to financial reasons, as a decline in property values mean that the new stadium was more dependent on state funding.[4] Planning permission was extended for a further five-year period.
Following Finn Harps 2017 AGM in May 2017,[6] Finn Harps announced that following a stall in progress, revised plans would be launched in summer 2017, co-ordinated by former Chief Executive of North West Tourism Paul McLoone. The expected capacity of this updated proposal was projected to be between 5,500-6,000 with a seated capacity consisting of a main stand with 1,954 seats and another seated stand opposite that seating between 2,000-2,500, combined with terraced ends totaling an extra standing capacity of 1,500.[7][8]
At the start of July 2018, the Department of Sport announced a โฌ304,000 grant towards the relaunch, redraw of plans, and fees towards the restart of the stadium build in Stranorlar.[9]
As of the start of 2020 the project, which had reputedly seen "minimal work" since 2014, was stalled pending the proposed investment of โฌ6.7 million in state funding.[5]
References
- "Permission granted for Harps stadium". RTร Sport. RTร. 14 June 2007. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- "Work to start on Harps stadium". One Stop News Stand. Archived from the original on 2012-03-15.
- "Harps to turn sod on new stadium". Eleven-a-side.
- Scanlon, Cronan (19 October 2012). "Lack of funding delays Harps stadium". Donegal News. North-West News Group. Retrieved 15 December 2013.
- "Funding crisis for Finn Harps' long-planned new stadium". irishnews.com. Irish News. 21 January 2020.
- http://www.finnharps.com/fhfc/?p=4804
- http://www.harpstalk.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=1863&pid=36043#pid36043
- http://www.donegaldemocrat.ie/news/soccer/249467/paul-mcloone-to-co-ordinate-new-harps-stadium-project.html
- https://www.rte.ie/sport/soccer/2018/0711/977933-finn-harps-welcome-funding-for-new-stadium/