Keighley rugby league stadium rebuild scaled back

Under the plans, the current stand would be demolished

Plans for a multi-million pound redevelopment of the Keighley Cougars' stadium have been scaled back following their relegation from the Championship.

Last year the Cougarmania Foundation, the charity arm of Keighley Cougars, was granted planning permission to demolish the current stand and replace it with a new 2,000-seater facility.

The rugby league club had hoped the improved facilities at its Hard Ings Road home would help with its goals of ascending to the Super League.

But because of a “reduced likelihood of promotion" and rising costs, a revised planning application has been submitted including a smaller stand.

The work is to be partially funded by a grant of over £2m from the Keighley Towns Fund – a £33m pot of cash awarded by the government for the regeneration of Keighley.

The original proposals also included new community classrooms, a cafe and a health suite that would be used by players, but would also open to the public.

Now a planning application has been submitted to Bradford Council to reduce the scale of the new grandstand, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The application would amend the design that was approved by planning officers last year, reducing the capacity to a minimum of 500 seats, with the option to expand in future.

A decision on the application is expected in March.

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