Dalymount €63m redevelopment moves forward following scaled-back construction plan

The redevelopment of Dublin’s Dalymount Park football stadium is expected to start next year following the approval of new plans designed to stop the soaring costs of the project, which have exceeded €63 million.The scaled back construction plans for the Phibsborough sports grounds, home to Bohemian Football Club, have been endorsed by Dublin City Council’s central area committee and are expected to be formally ratified by the full council in September. This will facilitate the start of construction next year and the completion of the project by the end of 2028, two years later than planned.The council bought the sports ground from Bohemians for €3.8 million in 2015. The following year it announced plans for a new stadium at an estimated cost of €20 million.READ MOREIt acquired Tolka Park in Drumcondra, home to Shelbourne Football Club, in the same year with the intention of selling the land to fund the redevelopment of Dalymount as a facility for both clubs.However, following a campaign to retain the Drumcondra ground, the council agreed in 2022 to abandon plans to rezone Tolka Park for housing and to redevelop Dalymount Park as a standalone project.Planning permission was approved in February 2024 for the demolition and reconstruction of Dalymount, with a capacity of 8,034.The cost of the project, which included community facilities, bar/function room, club offices and team facilities, had then risen to more than €40 million.By the end of 2024, when the council published its 2025-2027 capital programme, the cost had increased to €56.6 million.Last November councillors were told costs had hit €63.75 million. The council secured Government funding of €25.6 million, another €2.6 million was gathered from levies paid to the council, €1 million would be sourced from the long-term lease of Tolka Park back to Shelbourne FC, and €500,000 has been offered by Uefa. This left a shortfall of more than €34 million.Councillors last year approved borrowing of €34.03 million over a 30-year term to cover the shortfall. Repayments would be “partly funded from the annual rental income, match day revenue and non-match day revenue”, the council said.Due to the “significant funding shortfall”, design changes would be implemented to save €3.5 million, the council said. This would not result in a reduction of the overall cost but would stop it from exceeding €63.75 million.The changes involve the removal of the 622 sq m basement area and relocation of the competition area changing room and player facilities to a new single storey building at the northern end of the west stand. The relocation and reconfiguration of a number of other facilities, including toilets, first aid and concession and catering spaces, and some modifications to the community facilities, entrance and reception spaces, and the roof designs is also planned.The changes will not reduce the capacity of the grounds – in fact, local councillors were told this week, there would be a small increase to accommodate 8,039 match goers. Ratification of the plans by the full council in September would be followed by Bohemians vacating the grounds at the end of the League of Ireland season in October. This would facilitate the start of construction and “practical completion” in the latter half of 2028, followed by “installation and growth of the pitch” before the 2029 season.When permission was granted in 2024, completion was expected in advance of the 2027 League of Ireland season.