Finn Harps FC push forward with revised plans for €7.3m Donegal Stadium

Finn Harps FC have provided an update on the club’s ongoing plans to develop a new state-of-the-art stadium.

The long-running plan to leave Finn Harp and develop a new ‘Donegal Stadium’, costing €8 million in nearby Stranorlar, has been beset by delays in recent years.

But the project has gained fresh impetus in recent months – and last April’s open meeting in the Villa Rose Hotel in Ballybofey outlined the state of play – and the pressing need to fill the funding shortfall of €1.5 million for the project.

The new stadium will now be a hybrid design to reduce costs. This means that the main stand structure currently on the new site will be completed and three modular-built stands will be added (a seated stand opposite the main stand and two covered terraces). The new design is very similar to that of Salford City’s ground which has been hailed for generating a fantastic match night atmosphere. The new project cost has been set at €7.3m.

In a statement released by the club this afternoon, it stated:

"In the past number of months, the club has been negotiating with the FAI and the Department of Sport on the specifics of what will be delivered. Numerous meetings have been held in Dublin and Donegal specifically on the level of finish that would be acceptable to get the new stadium operational to play in the League of Ireland.

"Currently to play in the first division UEFA Category 1 is the minimum requirement, whilst playing in the Premier Division is Category 2, and playing in Europe is generally Category 3.

"The club has a maximum capacity of a build cost of €7.3m plus professional fees as per the latest application of funding and supporting documentation submitted. This is based on a total funding from Large Scale Infrastructure Grant of €4.7m, €0.5m from the FAI, €0.5m from the Donegal County Council, and the club funding €1.6m. To fund the €1.6m the Club will be getting a community finance loan of €1.1m and a subcontract loan of €0.5m.

"When the stadium is complete the club are proposing to the Finn Park Trust to swap the title deeds of Finn Park with the title deeds of the new stadium and the club would then sell Finn Park and repay the community Finance Loan and will fundraise to repay the subcontractor loan.

"After months of discussions and multiple FAI board meetings the FAI have agreed to a list of non-negotiables which the club must deliver and have set the minimum finish required as Category 2, as it is their goal to get all Stadia to above this level and their supportive funding is contingent on this.

"Our original planning was submitted in 2008 and after numerous extensions due to the economic crash, COVID-19 pandemic, and other external factors we have been asked by the Council to resubmit planning.

"We hope to do that in the next week and have been working with our architects to achieve this. Once we have the complete detailed drawings, we will be able to get detailed costings, complete the negotiations with our contractor, and seek approval from our partners at the FAI, the Department of Sport, and the County Council.

"We hope to have that process complete in time for the planning approval process to be completed which takes a minimum of 90 days after submission.

In our planning, we will submit a design capable of growing to Category 3 without having to return to planning. It is our intention to have a 4 sided roofed stadium fully enclosed. The initial capacity will be determined at the approval stage with our partners.