18 replies to this topic

[burnleywelsh]

Multi-million pound plans for a major sports village at the site of a former prisoner of war camp in Bridgend are being discussed by councillors later.

Various schemes have been tabled previously at Island Farm, including a Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) sports academy.

Now, a revised application submitted to Bridgend council includes a 15,000-seat rugby league stadium, and separate rugby union and football stadia.


PROPOSALS INCLUDE

15,000 seat rugby league stadium
5,000 seat rugby union stadium
2,000 seat football stadium
Indoor tennis centre, plus 10 outdoor courts
Multi purpose sports hall
Indoor swimming pool
Extension to adjacent science park
Source: Planning document

Interesting plans for South Wales

[burnleywelsh]

More info here. http://www.islandfarm.tv/development/

[Manx RL]

More info here. http://www.islandfarm.tv/development/

Great set of quotes from all the sports involved, very positive for rugby and other sports in Wales.

[l'angelo mysterioso]

so there are separate stadia for rugby and for union?

[shrek]

Sounds like there's more than one Union side;

- A 15,000 seater stadium for Rugby League and Rugby Union satisfying the demanding requirements of Regional and Super League rugby.
- A 5,000 seater stadium for the Bridgend Ravens currently playing at brewery field.

All looks nice, but really, 3 stadiums of varying sizes?

Do these bare any relation to the scheme that was proposed when Crusaders where based in the area? Has a similar look and feel to it.

Edited by shrek, 24 June 2011 - 08:19 AM.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

Looks like the same plans that Samuels was spouting when he was at CC.
In all honesty, I can't see SL working in Bridgend. I don't think the place is big enough to support the crowds. A Championship side in the 5k ground would be a good effort though and see where it goes from there.

Are there any intentions for a new side there anyway? There was talk of it at the time Scorpions were formed IIRC.

[Cardiff Cymru]

This looks like that it IS one of the two proposals that the Crusaders were working on two years ago. Do you think someone better tell them something?

[Cardiff Cymru]

http://www.guardian....rs-rugby-league

I just think it's either a re-hash of an old story or just something that's taken a couple of years to process and in the press release by whoever, they hadn't realised that the Crusaders are now in Wrexham. Or am I just thinking people are that stupid?

[paley]

15,000 seat rugby league stadium
5,000 seat rugby union stadium
2,000 seat football stadium

A fine world view

[VivaLasVegas]

15,000 seat rugby union (Regions) & rugby league (Superleague) stadium
5,000 seat rugby union stadium for Brigend Ravens rugby team
2,000 seat football stadium

[burnleywelsh]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2008/dec/11/celtic-crusaders-rugby-league

I just think it's either a re-hash of an old story or just something that's taken a couple of years to process and in the press release by whoever, they hadn't realised that the Crusaders are now in Wrexham. Or am I just thinking people are that stupid?

Revised plans apparently. Up before Councillors again. On BBC Wales News website today.

[Mike S]

Not only are Crusaders not there any more but the regional rugby union side folded some time ago

The football team get crowds of about 100 so the large stadium will never be used

Maybe they could help out and build it in Wakefield or Castleford where it is needed

[cardifcrusaderrob]

These are the same plans that Mike Turner showed me and others at a supporters meeting back in 2009 , weeks before the move to Wrexham was confirmed. At the moment in Bridgend you wouldn't even fill the 2,000 stadium with any of the teams based there let alone 15,000.I know there were talks about setting up a new Bridgend franchise for Rugby League, and the idea of a replacement for the Celtic Warriors has been there since the day the WRU dissolved it, but nothing has ever happened. The talks for a new RL franchise came first around the time the Scorpions came to fruition,so maybe they have resurfaced with new interested partners (obviously not Leyton Samuel).

I did read an advert in the recent Wales RU v Barbarians match programme about this company who are currently building a new stand for Newport RU at Rodney Parade and saw something about A Wales Rugby League elite training base???? the name escapes me but looks a bit like the link and current BBC report so maybe there is something to it?

http://www.bbc.co.uk...-wales-13894472

Edited by cardifcrusaderrob, 24 June 2011 - 02:33 PM.

[Maximus Decimus]

In all honesty, I can't see SL working in Bridgend. I don't think the place is big enough to support the crowds. A Championship side in the 5k ground would be a good effort though and see where it goes from there.

Whilst I would agree, the evidence on this is not yet clear. There seems to be a consensus opinion that RL in Bridgend failed and that RL in Wrexham has a much better shot. However, I think few people realise that crowds are now almost exactly the same for the two clubs. The difference in average is something like 20. Both situations are similar, they have spent the majority of the season rooted to the bottom of the league.

However, if you were to ask me which situation would look better long term crowds wise I would probably say Bridgend. Away followings are inevitably better at Wrexham and make up a larger number. Also Wrexham had a semi-successful year last year on and off the field giving them great exposure but crowds have really dropped this year. At Bridgend with the same squad they may also have seen growth but the club had been around for a greater time to be building up a fan base.

They'll never see Super League again though. People will equate the CC with failure and if they try South Wales again, will try other places.

[burnleywelsh]

Plans clear the first hurdle !

http://www.bbc.co.uk...-wales-13894472

[cardifcrusaderrob]

Bridgend was totally the wrong administration in potentially a very good area for rugby league , good local amateur scene and no pro RU club in the town. Wrexham has a far better administration now but I think the area has less potential than in the south , lower population and less rugby but the close proximity to the heartland, alot of the playing set up work is being done in the north to build a base which to a certain extent is already here in south wales. Wrexham got better crowds last year as the team did well ,plus riding the new feelgood factor of the club.This year its suffering as the side aren't playing well just like in Bridgend back in 2009.

[jannerboyuk]

To be fair the decision to play on friday nights has been a disaster. 3k for leeds when we got 6k against them in newport for a team that never stood a chance tells its own tale. Although some of the admin initially improved it has declined more recently. A sensible game day and just some solid admin will the cru ahieve a 5k average over the next few years. But the moss situation has to resolve itself.

[Wellsy4HullFC]

I just don't understand the need for three stadia. Who is going to need the 15k stadium? There are no elite SL or ML clubs, no football club that could even come close to making the FL. There may be need in the future, but not now. Perhaps it would be more sensible to build the rest, but leave space for the 15k stadium once plans are in the pipeline for a SL or Welsh regional club. It would just be a white elephant until then, as the 5k stadium would be fine for any lower league RL club (and going by the last SL club there, would be fine for that as well!).

[shrek]

Plans clear the first hurdle !

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-east-wales-13894472

Wonder if it was documented in the minutes about who exactly the Super League team was/proposed to be!

no football club that could even come close to making the FL.

Having read the minutes to the North West Counties AGM, I believe that they discussed including teams from Wales and Northern Ireland having had some expressions of interest. However, the rules are such now that these clubs can't join what would be the bottom tier of English Non-League Football so there is no route now to the Football League for Welsh clubs. The highest they could hope for is Welsh Premier League football, which I believe last season recorded its highest average crowd since inception - 343, significantly up on the previous seasons 276!