Plans announced for new sports ground in Newbury

Newbury Rugby Club has been identified as the preferred site for a new sports facility in Newbury.

West Berkshire Council and Newbury Rugby Club have already held preliminary discussions about building the new sports facility on part of the site in Monks Lane. Next week, the Council’s Executive will meet to consider a recommendation that formal discussions with Newbury Rugby Club begin, with the aim of opening the sports facility in March 2022.

Under the proposals, the new facility will include a high-quality artificial grass pitch, stadium, floodlights, changing room as well as a function room. The facility will be available for community use for rugby, football and other sports and activities.

The new facility will help deliver the Council’s Playing Pitch Strategy, and will provide a Step 6 facility – which means teams will have the facilities needed to play in higher leagues. It will also serve as a replacement for the Faraday Road Sports Ground, which closed ahead of the regeneration of the London Road Industrial Estate.

West Berkshire Council will be holding a consultation to seek the public’s views on the proposal to develop a new sports ground with Newbury Rugby Club. Details of the consultation, which will be open for six weeks, will be available on the Council’s consultation portal: https://info.westberks.gov.uk/consultations. Once open, details will also be published on the Council’s social media channels. You can now sign up to receive updates about the work on the new sports ground direct to your inbox – which will include details of the consultation once it goes live.