The long delayed "Taipei Dome Complex" construction project was finally approved on Thursday by the city government's Urban Planning Review Committee, and environmental impact assessment may start as early as next February. However, the legitimacy of Thursday's voting process has been challenged by environmental groups, which plan to take legal actions against the authorities.

On Thursday, the Taipei City Government's urban planning review committee approved the long-stalled Taipei Dome construction project.

According to Taipei Dome contractor Farglory, ground will break in the third quarter of next year if all goes smoothly.

The Taipei Dome construction project has been at the center of controversy for some time, and was rejected by the city's urban planning committee six consecutive times.

Environmental groups now say that less than 50% of the urban planning review committee's members were present for the latest vote, and that the results therefore should not stand.

The groups are planning to file a lawsuit against the Taipei City Government for seeking to profit off of Farglory.

In response, a city government spokesperson says that the entire process has been open and transparent, and that the project will next be submitted to the city's environmental assessment committee for review.