Belfast City Council has earmarked a field in the Botanic area of south Belfast for a new Gaelic Athletic Association pitch. The site previously hosted a U2 concert attended by more than 30,000 people in 1997. It lies next to the River Lagan and Queen's University Physical Education Centre.

The field currently hosts a community garden established in 2024 and an EU-funded Upsurge research project examining nature-based solutions to climate change. A local group, Friends of the Field, has raised concerns about the proposed development and requested to address the council's full meeting on Monday.

Group member Alicia Mulholland expressed worry over the loss of volunteer efforts to enhance biodiversity and the community garden. The group seeks involvement in future discussions.

Sinn Fein representatives, including Belfast South MLA Deirdre Hargey, visited the site and stated that the pitch development need not end the garden or research, suggesting both could coexist within the wider Botanic Gardens area. A temporary pitch occupied the site until 2020.

Alliance councillor Tara Brooks and SDLP councillor Gary McKeown acknowledged the shortage of GAA facilities in Belfast but criticised the lack of clarity and consultation. Brooks called for retention of the garden and project, while McKeown described the process as poorly handled and unfair to both community efforts and the GAA.

No timescale has been set for installing the new pitch. The council recently decided to restore another south Belfast site, Boucher Road Playing Fields, to sports and community use after its time as a concert venue.