Newbury football ground: New sports ground plan set to go ahead

The council intends to build industrial units at the Faraday Road site

Work on a new sports ground is set to resume following a High Court decision, a council has said.

West Berkshire Council had plans to redevelop its Faraday Road pitch, the former home of Newbury FC, and replace it with a new ground at Monks Lane.

A legal challenge over whether the council acted within planning rules was dismissed at the Royal Courts of Justice.

The council said a new leisure facility at Monks Lane was "much-needed".

The Faraday Road buildings, owned by West Berkshire Council, were destroyed in a suspected arson attack in 2021.

The Faraday Road site was badly damaged in a suspected arson attack in 2021

The 2,500-capacity facility and pitch had not been used since the club and youth groups were evicted by West Berkshire Council in 2018, ahead of potential redevelopment work.

The original plan was to develop it with flats as part of the London Road Industrial Estate regeneration. 

The council then changed its mind, and decided the pitch site would be better suited to more office and industrial space. 

Campaigners insist Faraday Road should be retained for football.

Work on the new shared sports hub, to include a 3G pitch and club house at Newbury Rugby Club at the Monks Lane site south of the town, was put on hold last summer because of the legal challenge.

Council leader Lynne Doherty said she welcomed the decision that the council was correct in granting planning permission.

"Regrettably each day that has gone by since these baseless claims were filed has seen taxpayer money wasted, due to both legal costs and inflationary rises in eventual construction costs.

"This is a great outcome for West Berkshire as we can now move on and make progress on creating this much-needed leisure facility that will enhance the lives of local people," she said.