Facelift backed for city leisure site that has ‘seen better days’

Newport Stadium could be in line for a facelift, after senior councillors backed a move to explore regeneration options for the Spytty Park site.

Council cabinet members said they wanted to keep an “open mind” about specific proposals for a site that is widely agreed to be in need of modernisation.

“Improving facilities, expanding access to sport and physical activity, and delivering wider benefits for communities across Newport are our priorities,” said Cllr Mark Spencer, the cabinet member for sport. “We look forward to exploring all potential avenues.”

The local authority will begin inviting expressions of interest for “innovative but realistic” proposals to redevelop the stadium site later this month, until the end of June.

Spytty Park is considered a “key strategic sporting asset”, and Newport Live currently operates the site under a long-term lease.

Cllr Dimitri Batrouni, the council leader, said investment in the site was necessary to match the “growth and ambition” of the city’s sports clubs.

Speaking at a cabinet meeting, on Monday May 18, he said the site had “multiple stakeholders with multiple aspirations”.

But none of the people he had talked to about the facilities there “believe it’s fine as it is”.

“We need to do more with that asset,” he told cabinet colleagues. “We shouldn’t settle for the status quo.”

Cllr Laura Lacey recalled hearing about a “lack of good facilities across Newport” and said current training sites were “being booked up really quickly” by teams from the city and further afield.

Cllr Rhian Howells said the council’s plan to seek expressions of interest “with a completely open mind” – rather than setting out strict criteria for proposals – was “the best way to do it”.

Cllr Spencer agreed, adding Spytty Park had “seen better days” and it was “important” to improve what was on offer there.

The invitation of expressions of interest for Newport Stadium is expected to open on May 20.