A new permanent ice rink is still to be built in Cardiff Bay after the city council and Cardiff Devils ice hockey team reaffirmed a commitment to the project.

The Cardiff Devils currently play at a 2,000-seat temporary rink located at the city's International Sports Village, which opened in November 2006 with a contract for it to be replaced within five years. Cardiff Council leader, Rodney Berman, insisted that the scheme remains on track well within the time frame to provide a new permanent facility, and that the current economic climate has had no impact upon the plans.

"Cardiff Council has always said it would be looking for the temporary facility to be in place within five years, and we still have the best part of three years until the end of that full five-year period has elapsed," said Berman. "Once the decision was made that Cardiff would not be getting a regional casino, we knew it was going to take nearer five years than three so this is not something new that's just happened recently as a result of the downturn."

Berman also confirmed that the council was working with Orion Land and Leisure to develop a business plan for the new facility.