Rugby ground being razed by demolition contractor
Demolition contractors are progressing with work on famed Welsh rugby ground, Stradey Park, to make way for a controversial 355-home residential development.
The Llanelli stadium has been standing empty for two years, since the regional rugby team, the Llanelli Scarlets, moved to their brand new home at Parc Y Scarlets.
An expert demolition team of 12 began the soft-stripping of the terraces in May, silencing the echoes of the traditional game song of Sospan Fach, which was first sung at Stradey.
They have undertaken a delicate dismantling of the steel frames and carried out strictly regulated asbestos removal, all in preparation for the 20 and 30 tonne excavators to move in and raze the remaining structures.
The work is being carried out by local demolition group, Cuddy. Managing director, Mike Cuddy, said, "There is a lot of nostalgia attached to Stradey Park; it hosted many nail-biting matches in its heyday and I know many fans will be sad to see it finally go. Yet the stadium has been derelict for some time now, so it is important that it is brought down before it poses a safety risk."
Nearly all of the on-site materials will be recycled, including plastic chairs and steel frames. Six thousand tonnes of concrete rubble is being crushed on site and will be used for redevelopment, and the topsoil from the pitch will be used in the new housing project.
