Lease deal secures Mid Wales football field future
A village in Mid Wales which is at the centre of a series of land sell-offs has secured the future of its football field for the next 50 years.
Llanwddyn Community Council has signed an initial 50-year lease for an area of land which includes the football pitch in the heart of the village around Lake Vyrnwy.
Councillors say they want to develop local sport and say the move to buy the football field will help them meet that aim.
Continuing uncertainty about the future of the Lake Vyrnwy Estate left the recreation ground in jeopardy. Severn Trent, which owns the estate, is selling off several parcels of land.
Community council chairman Andrew Johnson said: "The council felt it was important to secure the use of the land for the community in view of the continuing uncertainty surrounding the future of the Lake Vyrnwy Estate and are looking forward to working with their new landlord, the William Pears Group, to develop the sport and recreation facilities in the village.
"The council would also like to extend their thanks to Severn Trent Water and Knight Frank for their assistance in completing the lease along with their generosity in agreeing to fund the first year's maintenance and the cost of repairing the fence surrounding the field."
At the community council's annual meeting earlier this month it was announced that in agreement with the then land owner Severn Trent Water that the field would be renamed The David Rowlands Community Field. Mr Johnson said: "This in memory of the late David Rowlands who sadly passed away earlier this year.
"David played an important role in the community over many decades and will be greatly missed for his knowledge and history of the area."
The 23,000 acre Lake Vyrnwy estate was put up for sale in 2010.
The £11 million sale includes agriculture, forestry and commercial property around the lake - but not the lake itself.
