Ospreys' St Helen's stadium plans approved

Ospreys regularly used to play at St Helen's before moving to the Swansea.com Stadium

Plans to redevelop a Welsh rugby team's seafront stadium have been officially approved.

In July 2024, Ospreys announced they would move from the Swansea.com Stadium to the smaller, historic St Helen's ground for the 2025–26 season.

It comes amid 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 would be "significant in ensuring the future of professional rugby" in Swansea.

A group of politicians from the neighbouring Scarlets rugby region objected to the move because it "impacts on the existing sports infrastructure".

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.

However, a cross-party group of politicians are calling on the Welsh government to intervene in the decision.

Plaid Cymru MP Ann Davies, along with Member of the Senedd Cefin Campbell and Labour MP Nia Griffith, want the government to assess the impact of the development on regional rugby in west Wales.

Speaking to BBC Radio Wales, Davies said she had questions about the impact the new home for the Osprey region could have on the future of the Scarlets in Llanelli.

"We have a great stadium and we want to make sure that that resource is used," she said.

Griffith said Swansea's bid could be "key in deciding the future of rugby in Wales".

In a letter, she said Parc y Scarlets was just 10 miles (16km) from the proposed new stadium, adding: "The new stadium would duplicate this provision and would clearly pose a threat to the viability of Parc y Scarlets and the contribution it makes to the regeneration of the Llanelli area."

In response, leader of Swansea City Council, councillor Rob Stewart, said: "The decision has been made correctly, in accordance with planning policies."

The WRU has been asked to comment.

The Welsh government confirmed it had received several call-in requests which were under consideration, adding it could not comment further.

The calls to intervene comes amid wider uncertainty in Welsh rugby with the WRU currently consulting on ways to restructure the game in Wales, which may lead to reducing the number of regions from the present four to three, or possibly two regions.

The result of the consultation is expected to be published in the autumn.

An architectural site plan shows how the current rugby and cricket ground would look after redevelopment

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 Swansea.com 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 Tuesday's 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.

Ospreys fan Ffion Thomas hopes the move will fill the stadium but worries about traffic getting there

Ospreys fan Ffion Thomas, who used to visit St Helen's as a child, said the planning approval was an "exciting" milestone.

She said she hoped the team would be able to fill smaller stadium but was a "little" worried about traffic.

Laura Fry, assistant manager of Hoogah cafe and bar in Brynmill, said she was "really excited" as it was a "massive boost for the area", especially for independent businesses.