A new £6 million sporting complex in Ystrad Mynach is to become the home of regional rugby side Newport Gwent Dragons.
Called the Ystrad Mynach Centre for Sporting Excellence, the new complex is being built on the site of the former Ystrad Mynach Hospital and will include two artificial 3G pitches for football and rugby use.
Newport Gwent Dragons formally signed an agreement last week to make the new centre their official training facility from 2014, when the facility is due to open.
Cllr Harry Andrews, leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council, said: “This iconic development will change the landscape of Ystrad Mynach and will bring massive benefits, not only to our county borough, but to the wider region.
“I’m delighted that the Newport Gwent Dragons have signed up to make use of this fantastic facility as a training centre, bringing the elite rugby talent on a regional and international stage back into the Valleys where future rugby stars from our communities can be discovered and their talents honed and perfected.”
Newport Gwent Dragons Chief Executive Chris Brown also welcomed the move.
He said: “We are very much looking forward to being able to train at Ystrad Mynach in the future. It’s a really exciting development and will be incredibly important to us. It will give us a purpose built training base with both artificial and grass pitches, a weights room, indoor lineout training facilities and office space to go with it.
“The Dragons have a reputation for emerging local talent like Toby Faletau and Jack Dixon, who have both come up through the age grade channels which just shows that Gwent has plenty of talent to offer.