Stadium development plans approved for one of Wales' oldest football clubs

Bruce Sinclair, Local Democracy Reporter

Plans to redevelop the stadium of one of the oldest football clubs in Wales – which include a new 310-seater stand – have been approved.

In an application recommended for approval at the August 13 meeting of Ceredigion County Council’s development management committee, the football club sought permission for the redevelopment of its Park Avenue Stadium, its home since 1907.

A supporting statement from agent JMS Planning and Development said the proposal sought “full planning permission for the demolition of the existing main stand and the creation of a new clubhouse, turnstile, changing rooms, business unit and improvements to the existing seated and standing terraces which will include new roof canopies and all associated works”.

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1884

It added: “Aberystwyth Town Football Club is proudly one of the oldest football clubs in Wales, whereby the club was founded some 140 years ago in 1884. The club is one of the founding members of what is now known as the ‘Cymru Premier’, of which it is only one of two teams to have never been relegated since its inception in 1992.

“The men’s senior team is loyally supported by local community and has seen an increase in attendance over the past couple of years, reaching nearly 6,000 spectators over the year for the men’s team alone. A number of Cymru Premier matches are broadcast live from the ground each season on S4C and streamed online to a worldwide audience. The Football Association of Wales recently confirmed a new structure and strategy to the league with the aim of boosting its commercial profile, competitiveness, and fan interest both nationally and internationally.

“As a Premier European Division, clubs are provided the opportunity to qualify for UEFA competitions and compete across the Continent, whereby it is imperative that facilities and infrastructure across the country are developed to meet UEFA Licensing requirements.”

It says Aberystwyth Town Football Club “is often called ‘home’ by a number of other teams in the region which rely on the club’s facilities and all-weather pitch for the provision of training sessions and matches”.

The Black and Greens were relegated to the Cymru South for the 2025–26 season. Following Saturday's 0-0 draw at home against Pontypridd United, their first clean sheet since December 2024, they remain unbeaten having won the opening two games.

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First phase

The scheme itself is the first phase of development, the second relating to residential development.

An officer for members at the August meeting said Natural Resources Wales had objected on flooding grounds, with a Flood Consequence Assessment submitted in support of the application “which failed to demonstrate the potential risks and consequences of flooding were manageable,” NRW advising that further information from the applicant regarding flood risk be sought.

Members heard the applicants, primarily due to costs for further modelling, wished the scheme to be judged on its current merits.

The report said that, while the NRW views were acknowledged, planners felt the current scheme could be supported from a flooding perspective, concluding: “The application represents an opportunity to improve facilities at the football ground to enable high level matches to be played in Aberystwyth to the benefit of not only the immediate community but on a county-wide basis also.

“Despite the objection from NRW on flooding grounds it is the opinion that the scheme can be supported.”

The application was unanimously approved by committee members.