The last ever football match on Audco playing fields will take place next weekend.
Developers St Modwen this week revealed that it will not be renewing the lease for sports teams to use the Audley Avenue field beyond the current May 31 cut-off.
The field will be fenced off at the beginning of June in preparation for major development.
That means that a clutch of Newport football teams – and the Audco Archers – will have to find a new home for next season.
Lease holder Dave Matthews said he was very disappointed by the decision.
But Mike Timmins, Senior Planning Surveyor at St. Modwen, told the Advertiser that plenty of notice had been given.
He said: “In order to provide plenty of advance notice, over the past 18 months we have met and explained to Mr Matthews and his colleagues that we would be bringing forward proposals for the redevelopment of the site and that consequently this would result in the pitches no longer being available after the end of the lease.”
St Modwen plans to build 300 new homes on the Audco fields with a planning application expected to be submitted next month.
Mr Matthews said the fields would be a big loss to the town.
Teams from The Bridge Inn, the Pheasant Inn, Donnington British Legion and Shropshire Fire Service currently use the pitches on a regular basis.
“There’s nowhere else to play Sunday League football in Newport,” he said. “Shuker Fields belongs to the kids. People will have to go out of Newport to play football.
“It’s extremely disappointing. There’s guys who have played on those fields from the age of eight and they are now 30.”
Audco Archers, which has more than 50 members, have been told to find somewhere else to shoot.
The club, which has been using the space since 1961 and produced Olympic bronze medallist Leroy Watson, is now looking for a new home.
Chairman Ray Fisher said: “We want to stay in Newport and we’ve got several irons in the fire.
“It’s disappointing because it’s the prettiest shooting ground in the county, but we have to accept it.”
Mr Timmins said that improvements could be made to the adjoining Shuker Field as part of the development.
He said: “We are in discussion with Sport England and Telford & Wrekin Council regarding making improvements to the adjoining Shuker Fields and facilities as part of our redevelopment proposals.
“A public consultation exercise will be held to enable the local community to have input into the new development prior to the formal submission of a planning application later this year.”
A charity football match has been arranged for Sunday May 29 at 11am to bid farewell to the pitches.
A host of players who have used the facilities in the past have been invited to play.
By Sean Wozencroft