A NEW 600 seater stand to replace the open terrace at one of the most famous grounds in Welsh football has been proposed.

The scheme planned for Caernarfon Town FC’s Oval ground would see the existing structure being demolished.

A historic £1 million stadium transformation is taking shape as the popular club prepares to host Under 19 European Championship matches next summer.

The club is temporarily playing at Llandudno’s Go Goodwin Stadium. The Oval is getting an upgrade as part of efforts to meet Uefa standards for the tournament.

Cyngor Gwynedd’s planners received a full application for the demolition and removal of the existing structure, and construction of a 600 seater stand to the north terrace of Oval football pitch, which is in the centre of the town on Marcus Street.

The plans note that the site area is on an existing concrete stepped terrace, so it “will not result in the loss of any green space as these areas are already in use”.

It also adds that “as this is an existing football ground the provision of the new stand is not considered to be detrimental to its surroundings or to the site’s levels of biodiversity and habitats”.

The proposal also describes how the existing area is an impermeable concrete terrace with a part covered area and existing runoffs into the existing pitch side drainage system.

The plans note: “There will be a minimal change to the existing drainage on-site, as half of the new stand is replacing an existing covered area in the same location.

“This water will be dealt with in the same manner and directed into the existing pitch side drainage system with no significant change to the existing flow paths.”

In conclusion, the application states that it is considered that the new proposal “will have no significant impact on surface water levels as the area is already of impermeable construction”.

It adds: “The only change is that a larger proportion of the area will be covered with the surface water to be directed and discharged into the existing pitch side surface water system and will not lead to any increases in water volumes on-site or have any impact on the area surrounding the works.”

Last April, plans were also submitted from Darren Billinghurst through the agent Louise O’Rourke of Sports Labs Limited, to address the pitch’s infamous slope.

The scheme aimed to “redevelop” the existing natural grass pitch and construct a new natural turf football pitch “with a reduced lateral slope”.

The Cyngor Gwynedd plans had noted how investigations into the pitch had found that there was a “consistent” fall from the north-east corner of the pitch to the south-west, a height difference of approximately 2.775m.

The club has also seen investment in a new dugout, costing more than £30,000, and in new fences and surrounds.