PLANS to build a new sports stadium in Newbury have been revealed.

West Berkshire Council wants to construct a floodlight stadium with an artificial grass pitch, changing rooms and a function room, at Newbury Rugby Club and open it in March 2022.

The council says it will “serve as a replacement” for Newbury Football Club’s Faraday Road ground, after it closed in 2018.

According to the plans, it will be a ‘Step 6’ facility, which means it can be used by sports teams that compete in a semi-professional leagues.

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It has already held discussions with Newbury Rugby Club about renting the land for the new stadium.

After a meeting on January 14, the council is expected to press ahead with the project, draw up a budget, and launch a public consultation.

Cllr Howard Woollaston, executive member for leisure, said: “Having spent some time looking for a site for a new sports ground I’m delighted we now have somewhere which could meet the community’s needs.

“It will provide improved sports facilities for local sports groups and will be capable of hosting higher level competitive football and rugby matches, as well as year-round training.

“It is a site for the whole community, for amateur as well as more professional teams and able to be used for a wide variety of sports.”

In 2018, the council evicted Newbury Football Club from their Faraday Road ground, to clear the way for the London Road Industrial Estate development.

But the ground, which was home to the club for 55 years, has been vacant since they left, after the council’s redevelopment plans suffered a major setback in 2018.

However, that project is now back on track and the council is still looking to redevelop that land.