Decision day for future of gigs at city's biggest outdoor concert venue

Belfast City Council is due to make a final decision later about whether land used for large concerts in the south of the city should return to full sporting use.

Boucher Road Playing Fields is the city's biggest outdoor venue with space for up to 40,000 people.

The south Belfast site has hosted gigs by Bruce Springsteen, Ed Sheeran, Snow Patrol and Irish rap group Kneecap.

A council committee recommended that it should become a sporting hub, which would include two GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) pitches and a football pitch. That will now be debated at a meeting of the council on Monday.

The plan was passed by 14 votes to four at the committee last week.

Unless there is last-minute U-turn by one of the major parties at City Hall, it is likely that the 60-member council will back the proposal.

The council plans to look into other options and report back on what is feasible.

However, concerns have been raised within the music industry in Belfast.

Aiken Promotions described the possible end to large-scale events at the venue as "disappointing" and said it highlighted the need to find an alternative location.

The two largest parties on the council, Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), are in favour of returning the Boucher Road site to its sporting roots.

Sinn Féin councillor Natasha Brennan said: "I'm delighted that the playing fields will now return to their original purpose, alleviating significant issues faced by local residents during concert season as well as supporting local clubs."

DUP councillor Sarah Bunting said she would bring forward a council motion on "dual-use" of the venue for concerts and sports.

"Boucher Road playing fields sit empty for the majority of the year. It is only used between 20-40 evenings per year, so we believe it should be maximised to its full potential", she told The Nolan Show on Monday.

Bunting said a solution should be sought, as Belfast is "seriously lacking in quality sports venues", but defended her party's decision, saying "we're not trying to take away concerts".

The Alliance Party has led opposition to the proposal. It wants the council to explore alternative options before making the changes to the Boucher Road site.

Councillor Jenna Maghie said: "One weekend of events in Boucher contributes roughly £10m to the local economy."

Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) councillor Carl Whyte said the venue should be transformed to accommodate "the large numbers of people" catered for by sports clubs in Belfast.

"It has come to the point where it is simply not feasible to give this huge space which isn't used as often as it should be, for a couple of gigs every year," he told The Nolan Show.

John Cameron, who provides catering equipment for events, said he is "deeply concerned" his business could be impacted if gigs were no longer staged there.

"My concern and fear is that it is too little, too late and the venue could be turned into some sort of political game now," he said.

If the plan is approved, the council-owned land will not be redeveloped immediately.

Scheduled concerts in 2026 and 2027 will go ahead.

Among the other issues which may be discussed at Monday evening's meeting are the district rate, social media and Belfast streets which include the name Prince Andrew.

The council is considering no longer using the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter.

A committee voted by 15 votes to 5 last month to suspend the use of X by the council.

That decision is due to be ratified on Monday night.

There have also been calls by some parties in the council for Senator George Mitchell to lose the freedom of the city he was awarded in 2018.

The issue does not feature on the agenda for Monday's meeting but some councillors may try to raise the matter.