Stadium for Cornwall project halts after council's bid omission

The stadium was to be the base for Cornwall's main football and rugby teams, with community and conference facilities

The planned Stadium for Cornwall project will not progress, after the group behind it withdrew support.

The Stadium for Cornwall Community Interest Company (CIC) said it has "voted to cease co-developing the project in its former capacity".

It follows Cornwall Council's decision to not put the project forward for government levelling-up funding.

The chair of the CIC said it is a "huge disappointment".

Martin Tucker, who is also principal of Truro and Penwith College, said: "Board members of the Stadium for Cornwall CIC were incredibly disappointed to learn last week that Cornwall Council was withdrawing support for the culture bid being worked on by the CIC as part of the government's levelling up fund programme."

He added: "The reason given to the CIC for the withdrawal of culture bid support was a reluctance from both the Council and local MPs, to see funding going towards the stadium project at the expense of other projects that might go for funding in future rounds of the levelling up programme."

Cornwall Council has been approached for comment.

Truro and Penwith College will no longer be involved in any stadium development on the Langarth site near Truro, Mr Tucker said.

There remains potential for a smaller Truro City Football Club led development at the site, that could provide facilities for rugby and community use.

The Southern Premier League South club are currently playing their home matches at Plymouth Parkway after development work began to build a supermarket at their former home at Treyew Road.

'Extremely disappointing'

Cornish Pirates CEO and trustee of the CIC Rebecca Thomas said: "It is extremely disappointing that after many years and seemingly making good steps towards the Stadium for Cornwall facility that it has now come to this.

"We have worked tirelessly as one of the stadium partners to deliver a facility that would benefit the whole of Cornwall, providing top level sport, community and business use.

"The Cornish Pirates Ltd Board still remain committed to securing further investment to develop a facility that will enable Truro City Football Club to return to the county and that will allow the continued ambition of providing top level rugby in Cornwall."