A councillor is urging a Ceredigion university to “come clean” about the future of its sports facilities, after Aldi announced Lampeter as a potential site for a new store.

Cllr Hag Harris told the Cambrian News of speculation that the University of Wales Trinity Saint David has been looking to sell their “semi derelict” sports pitches and pavilion at its Lampeter campus for some time.

After Aldi announced this month their interest in opening a store in the town, Cllr Harris said the “rumour mill has gone into overdrive”.

A spokesperson for the university neither confirmed nor denied the plan, stating that the university was investigating “all available options to potentially refurbish the pavilion and improve the playing and recreational provision for students and the wider community”.

In an email, seen by the Cambrian News, the university said it was hoping future development plans would allow the university to “take a more proactive role in the economic development of Lampeter”.

Cllr Harris added: “The pitches and pavilion are in a semi-derelict state.

“A sorry vision indeed!”

He called for more transparency from the university, and added: “We await more information.”

“Since the announcement by Aldi that it has an interest in opening a store in Lampeter, it is not surprising that the local rumour mill has gone into overdrive. We await more information.”

When asked about the plans to sell the fields to Aldi, a spokesperson for UWTSD said: “The university is currently in the process of reviewing all available options in order to potentially refurbish the pavilion and to improve the playing and recreational provision for students and the wider community.”­

Cllr Harris said he had previously contacted UWTSD and requested a “clarification of their intentions”.

In an email sent to Cllr Harris, a university spokesperson said: “UWTSD is anxious to play its part in seeing Lampeter as a destination point which will attract tourism and further economic activity into the region.”

Cllr Harris added: “Given that the university has in the past requested that these historic sports pitches and listed pavilion be included in the Local Development Plan as a retail site and that the community in Lampeter is aware that other physical assets­ like the college-owned government buildings and Bryn Road school have both been sold off, the need for UWTSD to ‘come clean’ regarding their intentions is paramount.

“We consistently hear of the ‘town and gown relationship’ but at present I can see little evidence of a relationship built on openness and transparency.”­