Plans advance to redevelop stadium for under-threat Ospreys

Richard Youle

Swansea Council is pressing ahead with revised plans to redevelop the city’s St Helen’s sports ground despite uncertainty over the long-term future of the Ospreys.

It is hoped the Ospreys will be able to use the seafront ground not long after the start of the 2026-27 season.

Under a new joint investment model, the council would fund community‑focused upgrades including a new 4G pitch and floodlights, while the Ospreys would be responsible for creating professional‑level additions such as a new stand, fan zone and broadcast facilities.

The council’s cabinet approved the move at a special meeting on March 25. Members were advised that not taking action would mean the Ospreys not being able to use the ground, resulting in an estimated £15m annual hit to the local economy.

The club is currently playing at Bridgend’s Brewery Field having left the Swansea.com Stadium in Landore, Swansea.

Cabinet was told the Ospreys would be in a better position with a ground to compete for a licence if the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU), which is seeking to reduce the number of professional sides in Wales from four to three, was to initiate a licensing or re-licensing process.

The council’s legal officer said: “We are no further forward with knowing what regions are going to remain in Wales and whether it’s going to be four or three.”

She added: “The Ospreys may need to fight for a licence if it goes down to three. Having a stadium will enable them to compete for such as licence.”

On hold

The council, which owns the seafront ground, had previously approved its redevelopment but the plans were put on hold due to the WRU’s proposals.

The council was worried about releasing millions of pounds to pay for the work unless the future of the Ospreys as a professional regional side could be guaranteed.

The club’s owners, Y11 Sport & Media, are in the process of negotiating a takeover of Cardiff Rugby, which were acquired by the WRU last year after temporarily going into administration.

Uncertainty surrounding the future of the Ospreys as a regional side has alarmed the council. It has taken legal action against the WRU and formally asked the Competitions and Markets Authority to investigate Y11’s proposed Cardiff deal.

With no obvious resolution in sight and time ticking, the council and the Ospreys announced a new plan of action on March 24 and the cabinet meeting was hastily arranged.

If all goes to plan the Ospreys would use St Helen’s for matches and run-outs while training at Llandarcy.

Community programme

It’s expected that the Ospreys would significantly expand their community programme, offering club nights, school sessions, open training events and coaching development opportunities. Year‑round access would support junior and youth rugby, schools, Swansea RFC and local clubs.

A grassroots rugby board will also be set up to ensure the joint redevelopment delivered maximum benefit for local people, and former Ospreys, Wales and British and Irish Lions captain Alun Wyn Jones is to be involved.

Speaking at the cabinet meeting council leader Rob Stewart said: “I don’t there is any better figure than Alun Wyn Jones to encourage and oversee that.”

Cllr Stewart said there were significant risks if cabinet did not proceed as outlined in the report before members. He also said the council regularly invested in community sports and play in Swansea. “This is another example of us investing in a facility that we will continue to own,” he said.

The sum to be invested by the council hasn’t been disclosed but its chief executive, Martin Nicholls, said it would be significant and comparable with what the Ospreys would put in. “The Ospreys and Y11 are indicating they are prepared to make a significant financial contribution,” he said.

The meeting heard that letters had been sent by children to Cllr Stewart saying how important grassroots rugby was for them.

Cllrs Andrew Stevens and Andrew Williams said they’d played rugby at St Helen’s while at school, and in the former’s case at college level, and that they were special occasions. “Rugby has always felt at home at St Helen’s,” said Cllr Stevens.

Cllr Rebecca Fogarty said she was impressed by the diversity of the community use proposed and said sport brought people together.

Cllr David Hopkins said he would love the WRU to invest with the council. “For me, standing still is not an option,” he said.

Swansea Cricket Club

Cabinet also agreed to explore all options to assist Swansea and Civil Service Cricket Club. This is the entity that’s been created from Swansea Cricket Club, which had to vacate its home at St Helen’s last summer to make way for the planned redevelopment, and Swansea Civil Service Cricket Club, which play at a ground off Sketty Lane.

The council agreed to fund Swansea Cricket Club’s move to Sketty Lane, relay the square and install new changing rooms.

The cabinet report said the relaid square would not be ready in time for the start of the cricket season following “exceptionally” wet winter weather. The merged cricket club had hoped to re-use St Helen’s for the first few weeks of the season but the revised redevelopment plans put that in jeopardy.

The cricket club has written to cabinet members and the chief executive expressing its concern about the impact of the revised plans.

Cllr Stewart said cabinet was sympathetic to its plight. “We don’t know if there is capacity for cricket to take place (at St Helen’s),” he said. “There are some further discussions to be had. We would like officers to explore all opportunities with cricket and rugby to see if an accommodation can be made. We can’t unfortunately give a 100% guarantee today.”

The cabinet report said an alternative venue would need to be identified if St Helen’s couldn’t be used at the beginning of the season.

Speaking before the meeting, Ospreys director Rob Davies said: “We have been working with Swansea Council for many months on the redevelopment of the iconic St Helen’s ground. We’re delighted that we’ve found a way to not only progress our plans to play back in Swansea from next season, but also to further enhance the work we’ve always done in our community.”

Meanwhile the WRU intends to have one professional team in Cardiff, one in the east of Wales and one in the west. Its chairman Richard Collier-Keywood said in a letter to a Senedd committee this month that he acknowledged concerns raised regarding a loss of a club.

‘Confident’

“The WRU’s leadership remains confident the strategy shaped by our consultation – centred on a three professional club model with substantial investment in player development – is the right path to ensure long-term stability and success for Welsh rugby,” it said.

“We are implementing a plan which has been agreed by our whole board unanimously after extensive consultation. Moving from four professional men’s teams to three, while investing over £20 million in pathways, academies, coaching and women’s game across the next five years.”

Mr Collier-Keywood faces a vote of no confidence at an extraordinary general meeting of the WRU on April 13. It was called by a WRU district. The WRU has previously described the prospect of such a meeting as an “irresponsible first nuclear option” which would cause “significant damage” to Welsh rugby”.