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Hope for historical velodrome as new site plans axed

Ted Peskett
Local Democracy Reporting Service
LDRS The historic velodrome. You can see the tarmac track round the edges. grassy middle sections and trees and houses in the background.LDRS
There's a chance a historic velodrome in Cardiff could be saved as plans for its replacement are quashed

Campaigners fighting to save an historical velodrome say they've been given a glimmer of hope as plans for a new site are quashed.

Maindy Velodrome in the Cathays area of Cardiff has a long history, dating back to the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, and has helped foster the talents of several accomplished athletes.

Cardiff council has, for many years, had plans to expand Cathays High School onto the land at Maindy Park where the velodrome is located.

But, on Friday, it announced its proposal to build a new velodrome at the city's International Sports Village (ISV) in Cardiff Bay would no longer go ahead and that site could now be earmarked for a new golf attraction.

LDRS A colourful mural of Geraint Thomas wearing the yellow cycling jersey and helmet and white cycling glasses. Painted on a black background on a brick wall, with red and green swirls behind him.LDRS
Maindy Velodrome has fostered the talents of multiple successful athletes including Geraint Thomas, Megan Barker and Ella Maclean-Howell

Maindy Flyers, the cycling club that calls the velodrome home, has been described by British Cycling as "one of the most fertile breeding grounds for elite level British cyclists".

It has seen top athletes, including Geraint Thomas, Megan Barker and Ella Maclean-Howell, train there.

It was set to move to the new velodrome, but club bosses said they were "delighted" that it looked more likely they could stay put.

"We were never opposed to a new velodrome in the bay," said co-chairman Alan Davis.

"Our opposition was to the loss of Maindy. That loss now looks less likely and we are delighted about that."

It comes as Cardiff council says it had the chance to enter negotiations on an alternative site for the school expansion, at the current Companies House offices on Crown Way, which is looking to relocate.

If these negotiations are successful, Cardiff council said "the siting of the school on the Maindy site would remain a viable mitigation strategy" and it would "reconsider how to bring a closed-loop cycle track and velodrome to the city in the future".

Welsh Cycling said it understood the decision to scrap the Cardiff Bay plans and reiterated its "full commitment to working in partnership with Cardiff council to ensure the development and delivery of high-quality cycling facilities across the city".

It added it was eager to continue contributing to plans for the sports village and was "seeking further clarity on the investment required to ensure Maindy Track remains a safe, inclusive, and high-performing facility for Cardiff's cycling community".

Google The outside of Companies House on Crown Way - the building is brown with multiple rows of windows and there are grassy patches and trees to either side and a pavement and road in front.Google
Companies House in Cardiff is considering relocation - meaning the council may have the option of its current site for the expansion of Cathays High School

Campaigners are also urging the council to pull out of a previous application to the Charity Commission, requesting to exchange land at Maindy Park for land at Caedelyn Park in Rhiwbina.

Maindy Park Trust is the charity that owns Maindy Park and Cardiff council is its sole trustee.

The Charity Commission said it was aware of the council using Maindy Park Trust land as an overflow car park for Cathays High School and that the local authority was pursuing alternative arrangements, but added the council's application was on hold until more information was given.

Cardiff council's cabinet members will meet to discuss the latest position on Cathays High and the ISV on Thursday.

LDRS Alan Davis who has brown hair and is wearing a black jumper, standing next to a rack of red, white and black racing bikesLDRS
Alan Davis MBE says Maindy Flyers cycling club is "delighted" it may not need to move from its historic velodrome

Mr Davis said Maindy Flyers would "welcome the council's commitment" to a cycling road circuit for Cardiff, which was initially going to go around the new facility in the bay, as well as to preserving the historic velodrome.

A council spokesperson said: "If the land deal with the UK government proceeds, Maindy Velodrome will remain at its current location for the foreseeable future.

"If a deal cannot be reached, it is likely the council will need to revisit its original proposal to deliver school facilities as a contingency."