NEWI Cefn Druids Football Club (NCDFC) is to leave its Plaskynaston home after nearly 50 years following the local authority's decision to approve plans for a new purpose-built stadium at Rhosymedre, near Wrexham.

A new 3,000-capacity venue is to be built as part of a wider regeneration plan for the village of Cefn Mawr, which will see a new Tesco store built on the site of the club's current home ground. The plans for the new stadium include a 500-seat covered stand, a larger clubhouse, new dressing rooms, a media room and a medical and drug-testing room, as well as a club shop, a television gantry and a sponsors' suite.

New criteria to be introduced by the Welsh Premier League from the 2010-11 season means that existing facilities at Plaskynaston would not meet the required standard, prompting the club to accept a move to a new UEFA Category One-compliant venue as part of proposals put forward by developer J Ross Developments. NCDFC chair, Brian Mackie, said: "As a football stadium, this new facility will be, apart from Wrexham's, the best in the area and match any in the league, and the availability of the new social club to all social groups will also be an asset to the area.

"Plaskynaston has been the Druids' home for almost 50 years and holds a lot of memories for a lot people, and the decision to relocate was not taken lightly, but without this development, Druids would not have been able to play in the top flight of the Welsh Premier League." The club hopes work can begin by the end of May, subject to a consultation period, with a scheduled completion date of Christmas. However, if work is to get underway on the new Tesco store at the same time as the new Rhosymedre stadium, the club will play its games at Queensway Stadium in Wrexham on an interim basis.