Liverpool City Council has unanimously voted to defer a controversial masterplan for Ireland Park after the home club warned the plan would cost them half their playing fields and thousands of dollars in lost revenue.
At the 25 March 2026 council meeting, all councillors voted to defer the Ireland Park Masterplan “until further consultation is undertaken with Councillors, Liverpool Rangers and the sporting clubs affected” . The decision came after club president Matthew McMah delivered a passionate address during the public forum, highlighting serious flaws in the proposed design .
The park, located on Memorial Avenue and described by local residents as “way overdue for an upgrade,” has been used as a training ground by Liverpool Rangers Soccer Club for years .
“We’re losing sporting fields to gain car parking”
In his address to councillors, McMah — a club president and life member — told the chamber the masterplan contains “a lot of inaccuracies” and would actually reduce the number of playing fields available to the community.
“We’re actually losing sporting fields,” McMah said. “The proposal has the far side of the playing surfaces to be removed… we’re essentially losing sporting fields, which is to the detriment of the playing community, to gain car parking.”
The council report states the park currently has three playing fields, but McMah corrected the record: “As Ireland Park currently stands, we have it filled out for six playing fields, which consists of two full fields, four half fields. And in those half fields we also have a mini field and two mini fields which cater for children ages from 5 through to 12.”
Under the proposed masterplan, McMah said the club would lose critical capacity to host major events. “We currently host Southern Districts DDL Grand Finals which is ages 10 through 12. That is 46 games over six half fields, and in one day of those grand finals we earn approximately $10,000 in revenue as a club.”
“If this master plan was to go ahead, we would no longer be able to host those events.”
“Nothing has changed” since consultation
McMah revealed he first approached council three years ago with a suggestion to convert one of the fields to synthetic turf — the starting point for what became the masterplan process. But he said the club’s concerns raised during initial consultation were ignored.
“We raised our objections… the plan hasn’t changed,” McMah told councillors when asked how much of the club’s feedback had been incorporated.
He said he was only notified of the council meeting on Monday afternoon, despite chasing the project lead since 23 July 2024. “To date, I still have not received a response from council as to the status of the master plan.”
Safety concerns raised
McMah also raised serious safety concerns about the design, including a proposed children’s playground located behind an amenities block, away from street view.
“We find a lot of drug paraphernalia at the field,” he said. “By putting a child’s playground behind an amenities block away from street level, you’re increasing the risk of sexual predators preying on vulnerable children. You’re increasing the risk of needle stick injuries.”
“The plan just doesn’t suit the community and it doesn’t suit the sporting fraternity at Ireland Park either.”
Club wants to work with council
McMah was clear the club isn’t opposed to investment in the park — just the current design.
“Please don’t get me wrong, we do give our unequivocal approval to a master plan being implemented at Ireland Park,” he said. “We are 100% behind the master plan, just not in its current state. We want to work with council, we want to work with the community to provide an exceptional sporting facility, but the plan as it currently stands is not it.”
Unanimous decision to defer
After hearing McMah’s concerns, councillors moved to defer the item rather than adopt the masterplan as originally recommended by staff.
The motion — “That this item be deferred until further consultation is undertaken with Councillors, Liverpool Rangers and the sporting clubs affected” — was carried unanimously, with all councillors present voting in favour of the deferral .
The decision means council staff will now need to go back to the drawing board and engage properly with Liverpool Rangers and other affected sporting clubs before bringing a revised masterplan back to council.
No announcement was made regarding investigating why the matter had gone through public exhibition and missed the Liverpool Rangers feedback provided to Council staff
What happens next?
Council has not yet released a timeline for the additional consultation process or when a revised masterplan might return to the chamber.
The draft masterplan was exhibited for public consultation in December 2024, with the council report noting it provides “a holistic vision for the future of the park that will deliver improved facilities and amenities for the local community” .
Liverpool Rangers Soccer Club, which has called Ireland Park home for decades, now has a second chance to work with council on a design that meets both community needs and sporting requirements.
The question now: will council genuinely listen this time?
