WP HOPES TO SELL NEWLANDS SOON

Western Province Rugby is hoping it will be able to sell Newlands before it declared a heritage site.

Former Springbok captain Wynand Claasen last year launched an attempt to have the ground declared a world heritage site. At the time he said he believed there was too much historical value attached to the stadium to allow it to be sold to a developer.

As part of the Save Newlands Rugby Stadium campaign, an application was lodged to the Western Cape government to declare Newlands a heritage site.

As with this type of matter, public input will be requested in the near future.

SA Rugby’s Rian Oberholzer said “the sale of Newlands Stadium is key to the future sustainability of Western Province Rugby.

The proposal to declare the stadium a heritage site has the potential to derail so much hard work that has been done to stabilise WP Rugby both on and off the field.”

In early 2021, Western Province and the Stormers moved their offices from Newlands to Cape Town Stadium. Since the move, Newlands hasn’t been used as a rugby venue.

Although the sale hasn’t been finalised yet and the buyer hasn’t been made known, it’s believed that the stadium will be demolished for the sake of a new development.

Image credit: The South African