The report by respected journalist Henry McDonald says the plan for the shared stadium for football, rugby, and gaelic will be abandoned and the site will be used instead for a leisure and retail complex.

Mr Robinson is also understood to be planning to offer part of the site as the new home of the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society's annual show which is currently held at Balmoral.

There will also be proposals for an all-purpose motorcycle racetrack, DUP sources said.

Sinn Féin - which also wants a permanent museum on the site commemorating the Maze's role in the history of the Troubles - and the SDLP have been in favour of building the ground. The plan also had the backing of the the three sports bodies here.

But the two main unionist parties - with some individual exceptions - were opposed to the project. Some soccer supporters' clubs have also campaigned against it.

The Guardian quotes a senior DUP source as saying: "It will be a popular move within the party, the majority of whom hate the idea of building a national stadium anywhere near a shrine to terrorists.

"The party has also been listening to the majority of Northern Ireland football fans, who are resolutely opposed to moving to the Maze."

Belfast City Council have claimed there has been interest in building a 25,000 capacity football-only ground to replace Windsor Park as the home of the national team, but so far no concrete proposals.

Rugby will almost certainly remain at a refurbished, larger capacity Ravenhill, while the GAA will receive millions to improve facilities at Casement Park in West Belfast.