Stadium for Cornwall

Stadium for Cornwall
Location Threemilestone, Cornwall, England
Capacity 10,000
Construction
Construction cost Between £14m and £24m (estimated)
Architect The Miller Partnership[1]
Tenants
Truro City F.C. (proposed)
Cornish Pirates (proposed)

The Stadium for Cornwall is a proposed multi-purpose stadium in Threemilestone, Cornwall, England. There are no major sports stadia in Cornwall: the largest capacity ground is the Recreation Ground in Camborne.[2] Football club Truro City and rugby union team Cornish Pirates have both advanced plans for a new stadium, with both outfits requiring new facilities if they are to progress in their respective sports. Cornwall Council is developing a business plan for the stadium, although it has stated any project would have to be privately funded.

History

Truro City submitted a planning application for a 16,000-seat stadium, costing £12 million, on the site of their existing ground on Treyew Road in June 2005.[3][4] The plans conceived a stadium that would host the Cornish Pirates rugby union team and music concerts as well as the Truro City football club.[4] At the time these plans were submitted, Truro City played in the South Western Football League, several rungs below the professional football leagues in England.[4] These plans were opposed by local residents, who were concerned that local roads would not cope with increased levels of traffic.[4]

After those plans failed, Truro City published plans to build a cheaper new stadium at Kenwyn, while building a hotel and offices on their Treyew Road ground, in May 2006.[5] A planning application was filed by March 2007.[6] Carrick District Council approved this plan,[7] but a referral committee of the Council overturned that decision in September 2007.[8]

In response to this rejection, Truro City and Cornish Pirates began developing joint plans for a 16,000 seater stadium on a 50-acre site in Threemilestone.[9][10] While developing those plans, the two clubs had agreed to share the Treyew Road ground, but Truro City withdrew after they were advised the pitch could not sustain both sports.[2][11] Truro City continued to progress plans for a new stadium.[2]

Cornwall Council commissioned a feasibility study in May 2010,[12] but then announced in December that any new stadium would not be publicly funded.[13] In January 2011, Cornish Pirates owner Dicky Evans offered to underwrite the operating costs of a new stadium for the first 10 years of its operation.[14] Evans also outlined concerns about the use of a pitch for both rugby union and football.[14] The feasibility study commissioned by Cornwall Council was published in March 2011.[1][15] The study recommended a 10,000 seat stadium at Threemilestone, with construction costs estimated at between £14 million and £24 million.[15][16] In response to this study, the council approved funding for a business plan.[16][17]

In April 2011, Truro City earned promotion to the Conference South division, just one level below the Conference National.[18] Although their Treyew Road ground is compliant with Conference South requirements, development work - either at Treyew Road or a new stadium - would need to be completed for the club to play in the Conference National.[18] The Cornish Pirates play in the RFU Championship, and would also need a new stadium to play in if they were promoted to the Premiership.[19]

On 16 March 2011 the Stadium for Cornwall Group arranged a rally where a petition containing over 11,000 signatures was handed over to Mr Alec Robertson, Leader of Cornwall Council by Chris Davison and Margaret Lyon. Following this the Cabinet of the Cornwall Council met and approved further funding for a new stadium at Langarth, Threemilestone.[20] Outline Planning Permission was granted on 17 November 2011.[21]

Funding

On 1 March 2012, Cornwall Council made a statement that it would not spend public money on a proposed Stadium for Cornwall[22] and that any funding would come from private sources only. Cornwall Council made another statement on 11 May 2012, saying:[23]

“ Cornwall Council has subsequently received a request from 'Cornwall Community Stadium Ltd' advising that, despite their best efforts, the proposed Cornwall Community Stadium project is unable to proceed as a 'private sector only ' led and funded initiative and therefore requires financial support from the Council if it is to proceed. ”

The project has been on hold since then.[24][25]

Following the 2015 general election, and the Conservative Party's winning of every Cornish seat, Chancellor George Osborne said the government intends to comply with the Prime Minister's pre-election promise to deliver a Stadium for Cornwall.[26]

Cornwall Community Stadium Limited

The directors of Cornwall Community Stadium Limited (UK company number 07862967[27]) are:

References

  1. 1 2 "Stadium For Cornwall plans submitted to council leaked to the West Briton". The West Briton. 17 February 2011. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 "Truro stadium plans gather pace". BBC Sport. 5 February 2009. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  3. ↑ "Soccer club bids for new stadium". BBC News. 2 June 2005. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "Football stadium plans criticised". BBC News. 22 June 2005. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  5. ↑ "Football complex plans go on show". BBC News. 2 May 2006. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  6. ↑ "Plans displayed for new stadium". BBC News. 12 March 2007. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  7. ↑ "Football stadium plans approved". BBC News. 28 June 2007. Retrieved 30 April 2007.
  8. ↑ "Stadium plans refused by council". BBC News. 14 September 2007. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  9. ↑ "Renewed hope for sports stadium". BBC News. 21 December 2007. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  10. ↑ "Pirates groundshare bid collapses". BBC Sport. 26 February 2008. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  11. ↑ "Pirates groundshare bid collapses". BBC Sport. 26 February 2008. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  12. ↑ "Proposed Cornish stadium undergoes feasibility study". BBC News. 11 May 2010. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  13. ↑ "Cornish stadium plans not in capital programme". BBC News. 9 December 2010. Retrieved 2 May 2011.
  14. 1 2 "Cornish Pirates rugby club offer Cornwall stadium plan". BBC News. 31 January 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  15. 1 2 "Feasibility study for Cornish stadium published". BBC News. 9 March 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  16. 1 2 "Cornish Pirates welcome latest move on Stadium for Cornwall". Cornish Guardian. 17 March 2011. Retrieved 1 May 2011.
  17. ↑ "Business plan for Cornwall sports stadium approved". BBC News. 16 March 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  18. 1 2 Ellis, Ross (27 April 2011). "Truro City's rapid rise up football pyramid continues". BBC Sport. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  19. ↑ "Cornish Pirates chief admits promotion is impossible". BBC Sport. 14 April 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
  20. ↑ "Cornish Pirates welcome latest move on Stadium for Cornwall". This is Cornwall. 17 March 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  21. ↑ "Stadium for Cornwall plans move step forward". BBC News. 17 November 2011. Retrieved 27 March 2012.
  22. ↑ http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=30750
  23. ↑ http://www.cornwall.gov.uk/default.aspx?page=31428
  24. ↑ "Truro City step up plans for stadium move". BBC Sport. BBC. 17 January 2014. Retrieved 17 January 2014.
  25. ↑ Ellis, Ross (22 January 2014). "Stadium for Cornwall: New hope for Truro project". BBC Sport. BBC. Retrieved 22 January 2014.
  26. ↑ http://www.westbriton.co.uk/Chancellor-George-Osborne-says-government/story-26559356-detail/story.html
  27. ↑ http://www.ceoemail.com/s.php?id=address-1806572
  28. ↑ http://www.ceoemail.com/s.php?id=address-2933523

External links

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