Council greenlights two new stadiums for Truro

Separate plans to build two new stadiums in Truro have cleared a major hurdle after both plans were approved by Cornwall Council’s strategic planning committee.

The council gave the go ahead for a 6,000-capacity ‘Stadium for Cornwall’ – providing a new home to the Cornish Pirates rugby team – and a 4,000-seat ground for National League South’s Truro City Football Club.

The developers of the Stadium for Cornwall at West Langarth can now begin a search for firms willing to take up the retail units that will help to fund the £10m ground.

Cornish Pirates have been working in partnership with property developer Inox Group on the stadium project and the club hopes to move into the new stadium for the 2017-18 season.

Ian Connell, chair of Cornish Pirates, said: “We can now plan to progressively build the playing squad to compete at the top end of the Championship, within a facility that can showcase the game as a great spectacle but for our players also to showcase their own individual skills in a perfect setting.

“From a Stadium perspective, we will be working with the other Stadium partners to progress the development of the plans that will bring real benefit to the community across the whole of Cornwall.”

Truro City has already secured enough funding to begin building work.

To be located at the club’s current Treyer Road site, the new Stadium will include a function space with a capacity of 250 and an 3G all-weather pitch.

Peter Masters, chair of Truro City FC, said: “Silver Bow gives Truro City Football Club the opportunity to become sustainable going forward in the National League and it will ensure that the good people of Truro City and indeed Cornwall will get the opportunity to follow, watch or play football at the highest level.

“It is a tight build timetable with a completion date of July 2016 but what has been achieved since October 2012 I am confident we can deliver what promises to be the Cornwall Premier Football Stadium.”