£175k to help give Newport skatepark new home (From Western Telegraph)

£175k to help give Newport skatepark new home

A NEW Welsh football centre was backed by Newport council’s cabinet yesterday, which agreed in principle to give it the leases and licences it needs to come to fruition.

ON THE MOVE: The skatepark at the International Sports village in Spytty, Newport, is to have a new home

The decision, made at yesterday’s cabinet meeting, follows an application filed by the Football Association of Wales (FAW) for planning permission for the multi-million pound scheme at Spytty’s Newport International Sports Village.

The cabinet also decided to relocate the site’s skatepark, setting aside £175,000 for the move, which was welcomed by the owner of a Newport skate shop.

Darran Ward, of Freestyle, said it was good news that money was available, adding: “Now all we need to do is make sure there isn’t a massive gap between the current one being closed and the a new one being built.”

More than 860 people have signed a petition calling for the new football facility to not be built until a fully functioning free skate park was completed locally.

Surveys distributed by Newport council earlier this year asked skatepark users where they would like the park moved to – Beechwood Park, Tredegar Park, Shaftesbury Park, Pill, Glebelands or elsewhere.

Newport beat dozens of sites when it was chosen to host the FAW and Welsh Football Trust’s National Football Centre project.

Plans include two premiumgrass pitches, an artificial pitch for the public and football clubs, and a new office building.

The existing skate park would be demolished with fencing, floodlighting and a spectator stand erected.

A council spokeswoman said a site for the skate park is yet to be identified.