Latest news with #LanceBradley
Wales Online
8 hours ago
- Business
- Wales Online
Ospreys to play entire season at Bridgend's Brewery Field before big move
Ospreys to play entire season at Bridgend's Brewery Field before big move The Ospreys have agreed to finalise a lease to make St Helen's the club's new long-term home but will play in Bridgend this season Morgan Morris of Ospreys celebrates scoring a try at the Brewery Field (Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency) The Ospreys have announced they will play all their home games at Bridgend's Brewery Field this season. Work will be carried out at the Brewery Field including the installation of a new stand to provide additional seating. The Ospreys have agreed to finalise a lease to make St Helen's the club's new long-term home which comes a week after Swansea City Council granted planning permission to redevelop the historic ground. Phase one of the redevelopment will include a roof over the terrace, a new and repositioned 3G pitch, refurbishment of the existing clubhouse, a new fan zone, and the installation of new stands. Among these new stands is a proposed permanent South Stand, which will feature three hospitality suites, state-of-the-art facilities, and what will undoubtedly be the 'best seat in the house'. Construction of phase one is set to begin following the conclusion of Swansea Cricket Club's 2025 season in September. The club had initially announced the plan was to start playing games at their new home by the end of the year but changes in the stadium plans mean they will delay the move. This one-season relocation will allow all redevelopment work to be completed, ensuring St Helen's is ready in time for the 2026/27 season. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. Article continues below To help oversee the development the Ospreys' commercial team will move to St Helen's this September. 'We are thrilled to have reached an agreement to finalise a lease for St Helen's and look forward to seeing the redevelopment begin," said Ospreys CEO Lance Bradley. "This marks another important milestone as we work to transform the iconic stadium into a modern sports facility, one that will serve not only the Ospreys, but also Swansea RFC, Swansea University, and the wider community. 'While we had hoped to have St Helen's ready for this season, the proposed plans for a permanent South Stand, which came later in our planning process, meant that the timing was not feasible. "It's because we want to provide the best possible experience from day one that we have decided to play one season at the Brewery Field in Bridgend while we get St Helen's to the standards that Ospreys and our fans expect. 'I'd like to personally thank Bridgend Ravens and Bridgend Council for being so accommodating in allowing us to play at Brewery Field this season. My thanks also go to the City and Council of Swansea for their continued backing in helping us bring our vision for St Helen's to life. Get the latest breaking Welsh rugby news stories sent straight to your inbox with our FREE daily newsletter. Sign up here. 'Finally, to our incredible supporters, thank you. You've stood by us through challenging times, and we can't wait to welcome you to Brewery Field this season, and to St Helen's in 2026.' This news will come as a big boost to Ospreys fans considering a formal consultation process will begin shortly where the Welsh Rugby Union could cut the number of professional sides in Wales from four to three or even two. "We've been working closely with the Ospreys and we fully understand and respect their decision," said Swansea Council leader Rob Stewart. Join WalesOnline Rugby's WhatsApp Channel here to get the breaking news sent straight to your phone for free "It means that they, as a business, can plan their 2025-26 season efficiently and professionally. 'We're glad that their long-term plan is to develop our historic St Helen's ground; we continue to work with them on that as indicated by yesterday's announcement of our agreement to finalise a lease. 'The plans for the ground development – including some conditions – remain unchanged. Article continues below 'We're excited about the prospects that a new-look St Helen's and the retention of top-flight rugby in Swansea will mean to local people and businesses."
Wales Online
6 days ago
- Business
- Wales Online
Ospreys boss responds to politicians' St Helen's concerns and admits 'surprise' at reaction
Ospreys boss responds to politicians' St Helen's concerns and admits 'surprise' at reaction The Ospreys boss spoke out after west Wales politicians raised concerns over the redevelopment of St Helen's Ospreys CEO Lance Bradley (Image: L Churchouse) Ospreys chief Lance Bradley admits the Welsh club were "quite surprised" by concerns raised by Carmarthenshire politicians over the redevelopment of St Helen's. Tuesday brought the positive news that the Swansea-based region had been granted planning permission for work to start at the famous old ground on the city's seafront. The Ospreys will be leaving their old home at the Stadium and forging a new future at St Helen's, with the hope of moving in by the end of the year. But on Wednesday Plaid Cymru MP Ann Davies, along with Member of the Senedd Cefin Campbell and Labour MP Nia Griffith, spoke of their concerns over the impact it could have on the game further west on rivals the Scarlets. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. They have asked for the Welsh government to step in on the matter and call it in, while the Scarlets Supporters' Trust also raised their own objection. Mr Campbell told Radio Wales: "What I'm asking is whether we need two stadiums within six or seven miles of each other when there is a good stadium in Llanelli already. "I have no problem, if that's the way the Welsh Rugby Union want to go, to merge the Ospreys and the Scarlets and that's been mooted many times in the past and if that's the direction of travel then we would be more than happy to see first-class rugby played in Parc y Scarlets but my fear is by developing this new stadium in Swansea that Parc y Scarlets and rugby in Carmarthenshire and further west in Wales will become dormant." Article continues below Bradley offered a confident response, dismissing the concerns raised by Mr Campbell and stressed the benefits that a made-over St Helen's would have not just for rugby but for the wider community in the city. "I'm flattered that he should think that we should have such a huge impact on our friends in Llanelli," Bradley began. "The fact is St Helen's isn't a new stadium, St Helen's is actually a very old stadium where Wales played their first international game, and we're very conscious of the fact that when we move there it's the redevelopment of an iconic ground, it isn't something new, and we will be fully respecting the heritage of the place and the history of the place to provide a top-class facility not just for the Ospreys but for Swansea RFC, Swansea University and a big part of the plans and something Swansea Council were very keen on is the community use as well. "So I can't see it will have an impact on Parc y Scarlets." Bradley also dismissed suggestions that the Ospreys had been "tipped a wink" by the WRU amid the impending consultation process which could see the number of professional clubs in Wales cut, adding he was "a bit surprised" by the timing of the objections. He said: "We haven't been tipped a wink at all. There is a process going on with the WRU that all the clubs are involved in and as far as I'm aware we've all had the same amount of information, the same opportunities to input what we think, so that's certainly not the case. "Were we surprised? Yes, we were a bit surprised because this isn't something that suddenly got announced yesterday, this is something we announced we were planning over a year ago. "So it was slightly surprising that some of the MPs and Senedd members from Carmarthenshire should wait until now to raise a concern. But that's their right to do that if that's what they want to do." Despite the reaction, Bradley maintained there were no second thoughts whatsoever over the move and that his focus was on the positivity he has seen from the club, supporters and wider community to the news. Article continues below "Not at all because the reaction you are talking about is from three people from Carmarthenshire, our primary concern is Ospreys and the reaction from Ospreys fans and from our staff and players as well and Swansea Council and indeed from most of the Swansea public is overwhelmingly positive and that's what we are focusing on," he added.
Wales Online
05-08-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Unanimous backing for Ospreys redevelopment of St Helen's sports ground given by councillors
Unanimous backing for Ospreys redevelopment of St Helen's sports ground given by councillors It's a key moment for the regional rugby side and chief executive Lance Bradley pledges to respect the ground's history St Helen's Rugby and Cricket Ground, viewed from the Mumbles Road end (Image: Wales Online ) Plans by regional rugby club the Ospreys to redevelop Swansea's historic St Helen's sports ground have been unanimously approved. Ospreys chief executive Lance Bradley addressed the council's planning committee to say the redevelopment was really important for the club's future and also for that of Swansea RFC and Swansea University, which will continue to play matches there. Mr Bradley said the aim was for schools and age-grade representative rugby to also benefit as part of a rugby 'hub' at the seaside venue. 'It's an incredibly iconic ground,' he said. 'We will completely respect the history of the place.' Mr Bradley referred to 'uncertain times' in Welsh rugby and said the opportunity to redevelop St Helen's would be a a significant factor in ensuring the future of professional rugby in Swansea. The plan is to refurbish and cover the existing north stand, which will remain standing-only, re-orientate the pitch in a north-easterly direction towards the clubhouse and replace the current turf with a 3G surface, build a new southern stand and add two stands at either end of the pitch. The club's preferred option for the southern stand is a two-storey rather than a single-storey structure incorporating changing rooms, a medical room, toilets and corporate hospitality. A report before the committee said the club couldn't unequivocally confirm the two-storey option at this stage. It added that the capacity of the ground would be between 8,044 and 8,396. Never miss a Swansea story by signing up to our newsletter here Ospreys chief executive Lance Bradley outside the Guildhall, Swansea, after approval was given for the redevelopment of St Helen's sports ground (Image: Richard Youle ) Uplands ward councillor Peter May addressed the committee to say he'd lived close to St Helen's Rugby and Cricket Ground, which opened in 1873, for 29 years and that he backed the project. He said the Ospreys had had 'a dialogue not monologue' with local councillors and residents and that in his view the scale of the proposed venue was 'about right' for the area. Cllr May said he would, though, want buses available to take spectators away from the ground if there were evening midweek or late weekend matches. He acknowledged that Swansea Cricket Club would have to vacate the ground it has occupied for 150 years but this was partly due, in his view, to Glamorgan Cricket Club's decision not to play fixtures there since 2019 because of concerns about the facilities. 'I really look forward to the evolution and the next chapter in our dear St Helen's ground,' said Cllr May. The Ospreys will also create a fans' zone with a retractable roof at the Gorse Lane end of the ground, a staff car park with around 100 spaces to be accessed via Gorse Lane, a new southern entrance for spectators, and bicycle stands for 80 bikes. Replacement floodlights will also be installed. The southern stand at St Helen's, which will be replaced (Image: Richard Youle ) The Ospreys also intend to build a training barn at the Gorse Lane-Mumbles Road corner of the ground, and the permission given by the committee included outline consent for this second phase of the scheme. Although the rugby club was the applicant, the committee report said the initiative was a joint venture with the council and Swansea University and formed part of a wider city deal project to create a sports and medical technology cluster in the vicinity. The council, which owns the ground, is to invest in the redevelopment as part of a long-term agreement with the Ospreys. Council budget papers have shown £5.1 million allocated to the project, with just over £1 million on top to create a suitable venue for the cricket club off Sketty Lane, Sketty. The cricket club will move out at the end of August, and the Ospreys aim to play their first home match at St Helen's in December. It would be their first match there since 2005 when they moved to what was then the new Liberty Stadium, Landore, where Swansea City Football Club also play. Members of the committee backed the plans while seeking assurances about travel and road measures on match days. Cllr Phil Downing said the project was important for the county, not just the city. 'Being a total football fan, this is still very exciting for me,' he said. A planning officer said a travel plan submitted by the Ospreys, which includes buses on match days offering a park and ride service, was an evolving document rather than something fixed from day one. Referring to the 8,000-odd capacity, the officer said: 'I can remember going to games here which far exceeded that number.' The future of the current structure of four professional regional rugby sides in Wales continues to be the subject of discussion, with the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) saying a consultation about a restructure would take place this month and next. One potential development, it said, was whether there should be a reduction to three or two regional teams. The planning committee heard there were four letters of objection plus two late ones – one of which was from the Scarlets Supports Trust. A mural at St Helen's commemorating Swansea RFC vistories against New Zealand, South Africa and Australia (Image: Richard Youle ) Mr Bradley has recently said he was confident of a positive outcome regarding the WRU discussions. In a statement issued by the club after the approval decision, he said: 'This is an incredibly exciting moment and a vital step in building the future of the Ospreys and rugby across our region.' Cllr Rob Stewart, the leader of Swansea Council, said: 'It's vitally important for sport and the local economy that the Ospreys continue to be based in Swansea and we're working together to make that happen. 'We've agreed a lease for them to make St Helen's their new home and to widen its community use. By having a lease agreed and planning permission in place the Ospreys can start moving ahead with their plans to remain in Swansea and transform the historic St Helen's ground into a modern sports facility.' He added: "We know the uncertainty over the future of the regions has raised concerns about the timing of the planned redevelopment of St Helen's. That's why we're working closely with the Ospreys and have an agreement with them to ensure the works at St Helen's progress in line with any WRU decisions on the future structure of the regions." Article continues below
Yahoo
05-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ospreys' St Helen's stadium plans approved
Plans to redevelop a Welsh rugby team's seafront stadium have been officially approved. In July 2024, Ospreys announced they would move from the Stadium to the smaller, historic St Helen's ground for the 2025–26 season. It comes amid wider uncertainty in Welsh rugby, as the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) considers restructuring that could reduce the number of professional teams. Ospreys chief executive Lance Bradley acknowledged the challenging backdrop but said the move to St Helen's would be "significant in ensuring the future of professional rugby" in Swansea. New chapter for seafront sports ground Ospreys apply for St Helen's stadium planning permission Ospreys choose St Helen's as new stadium home At a meeting on Tuesday, Swansea council's planning committee members voted unanimously in favour of the redevelopment plans for St Helen's - which will be delivered in two phases. Phase one includes a new 3G pitch, fan zone, and stands to accommodate up to 8,000 spectators. Phase two will add a training facility and gym. The St Helen's Ground has been the historic home of rugby in Swansea since the 1880s. However, when rugby turned professional in 2003, Swansea RFC merged with Neath RFC to form the Ospreys. Although the team initially played at St Helen's, they relocated to the Stadium in 2005, sharing with the city's football club. Having now left that venue, the Ospreys plan to begin redevelopment in September 2025, once Swansea Cricket Club's season concludes. Under an agreement with the council, the cricket club will relocate to a new ground. Speaking at the meeting, Mr Bradley described St Helen's as an "incredibly iconic ground" and said the Ospreys aimed to become a "hub for the community", not just an elite rugby club in the city. He called the decision an "incredibly exciting moment" and a "vital step" for the future of the team and rugby in the region. Blue plaque for sports ground Ospreys pressing on with plans despite WRU dispute WRU considers cutting up to two regional teams
BBC News
05-08-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Ospreys' St Helen's stadium plans approved by Swansea council
Plans to redevelop a Welsh rugby team's seafront stadium have been officially July 2024, Ospreys announced they would move from the Stadium to the smaller, historic St Helen's ground for the 2025–26 comes amid wider uncertainty in Welsh rugby, as the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) considers restructuring that could reduce the number of professional chief executive Lance Bradley acknowledged the challenging backdrop but said the move to St Helen's would be "significant in ensuring the future of professional rugby" in Swansea. At a meeting on Tuesday, Swansea council's planning committee members voted unanimously in favour of the redevelopment plans for St Helen's - which will be delivered in two phases. Phase one includes a new 3G pitch, fan zone, and stands to accommodate up to 8,000 two will add a training facility and gym. The St Helen's Ground has been the historic home of rugby in Swansea since the 1880s. However, when rugby turned professional in 2003, Swansea RFC merged with Neath RFC to form the Ospreys. Although the team initially played at St Helen's, they relocated to the Stadium in 2005, sharing with the city's football now left that venue, the Ospreys plan to begin redevelopment in September 2025, once Swansea Cricket Club's season concludes. Under an agreement with the council, the cricket club will relocate to a new ground. Speaking at the meeting, Mr Bradley described St Helen's as an "incredibly iconic ground" and said the Ospreys aimed to become a "hub for the community", not just an elite rugby club in the called the decision an "incredibly exciting moment" and a "vital step" for the future of the team and rugby in the region.
