Plymouth Argyle: £21m Brickfields plans for new youth academy unveiled

The current Brickfields site has facilities for rugby, hockey and athletics

Plans for a £21m investment into facilities for Plymouth Argyle's youth academy and other sports clubs in the city have been unveiled.

The plans for the Brickfields - which also houses rugby union side Plymouth Albion - would see Argyle's academy move up to Category Two status.

£11m will come from Argyle with £7.3m coming through grant funding and the rest from Plymouth City Council.

The club bought land for a new training ground near Home Park in December.

Funding for that came after a United States-based consortium paid £4m for a 20% share in the club last August - money which majority shareholder Simon Hallett said would be used for infrastructure spending.

Last year the club posted record revenues in excess of £11m and are projecting to top that figure this season thanks to a run which has seen them go second in League One and eye promotion to the Championship.

'We will not see a deal of this scale for many years to come'

Plymouth Albion moved to Brickfields in September 2003

Plymouth City Council will retain ownership of the site, which will house Plymouth Albion and Argyle's women's team and youth sides.

Three grass football pitches and a new synthetic rugby training pitch will be built under the plans, which will also see two synthetic football pitches - one of which will be covered.

"This is a significant milestone in the club's proud history, and provides great excitement for the future of Argyle, with the prospect of a permanent academy base taking us one step further in our strategic vision to see the club attract, retain and develop the region's best young talent," said Argyle chief executive Andrew Parkinson.

"Regenerating the site to provide first-class facilities for our Academy and other elite sports addresses a need, not only for Argyle, but other stakeholders, including Plymouth Albion RFC."

Subject to planning approval work on the site should begin in early 2024 and means that planned work on the Mayflower stand at Home Park will be delayed.

"This is an extraordinary deal that will unlock millions of pounds of investment to provide incredible facilities to nurture talent in this city as well as expand the offer to local people," said Councillor Pat Patel, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, Culture, Leisure and Sport at Plymouth City Council.

"We have been talking extensively to the people who use Brickfields, as well as groups and individuals in Devonport, about what facilities and activities they want to see. At the moment the entire site is not being used as well as it should be.

"We have a plan for sport that the city's clubs and organisations helped create and this proposal really fits the bill. Together we are working to increase participation - opening up opportunities get more people involved in sports and physical activity.

"But this is also about pride; locating the Argyle Academy in Brickfields strengthens the links between the city and Argyle, as well as creating a sense of aspiration for the young people living nearby. We will not see a deal of this scale for many years to come."