A NEW multi-million pound home for Welsh football in Newport is a step closer to reality after plans were lodged with Newport council.

Newport International Sports Village beat dozens of rival sites across Wales when it was chosen to host the Football Association of Wales (FAW) and Welsh Football Trust’s National Football Centre project.

The FAW submitted its proposals to Newport planning officers this week, seeking permission to “create a state of the art, purpose built facility providing top class training, playing, sports science and education facilities” on the council-owned site.

The plans, which relate to the existing grass pitch area at the back of the velodrome and the existing artificial training pitch, include erecting an office building, with associated outbuildings, carrying out alterations to the back of the existing velodrome to provide storage and access to new pitches.

Under the proposals, the existing artificial turf pitch would be converted to a premium grade grass pitch and the existing grass pitch would be altered to form a new artificial pitch and grass pitch.

The plans also include demolishing the existing skate park and erecting fencing, floodlighting, a spectator stand and creating 40 standard parking spaces and four wide spaces.

The new artificial pitch will be open for public and local football club use, but the premium grass pitch will be used solely by national football squads.

An office building will provide the HQ administrative accommodation for coaching and development operation,The Welsh Football Trust, along with changing facilities.

FAW chief executive Jonathan Ford, speaking when Newport was announced as the chosen location, said the project could cost up to £5million.

More than 70 potential locations in Wales were examined by the FAW and the trust, but Newport’s International Sports Village topped the 12-strong shortlist becasue of its already impressive array of sporting facilities, its potential to support further such development and ease of access.

The plans will be discussed by Newport’s planning committee in the coming months.