Cornwall Council Cabinet Members have approved the building of a new sports and community facility at the heart of Langarth Garden Village.
The plans will see the land formerly earmarked for the Stadium for Cornwall allocated for the construction of a new Community Sports Hub. Located at the edge of the Park and Ride, the Hub will provide a long term home for Truro City Football Club (TCFC), as well as facilities for use by residents of the Garden Village, Threemilestone Football Club and other sports clubs in Cornwall.
A planning application has been submitted to the Council and if approved, work is set to begin on constructing the main pitch in early 2024.
Work on the remaining phases of the scheme – including the construction of the community 3G pitch, and the club house and community hub – will attract additional funding from a variety of sources. This is expected to include grant funding from the Football Foundation, subject to successful application, as well as contributions from s106 obligations associated with the development of Langarth Garden Village.
The club house and community hub will require a separate later planning application. Subject to the funding and planning permissions being secured, construction on these facilities could begin towards the end of 2024.
“We were determined from the very start that Langarth Garden Village would not be a typical development site and have worked very hard to ensure that the scheme sets a gold standard for all future development in Cornwall” said Cllr David Harris, deputy leader of Cornwall Council and portfolio holder for resources. “We are building a community rather than just housing at Langarth , and these sports facilities will be a crucial part of achieving this”.
As well as the new Community Sports Hub, the plans for the Garden Village include providing a wide range of other community assets. These include two primary schools, health facilities, parks and urban squares, green spaces, water features, cycle and walking routes and cultural facilities.
First new primary school
Green and open spaces
The decision to deliver the Sports Hub in the first half of 2024 – before construction begins on the first phase of housing – reflects the Council’s commitment to ensuring that key infrastructure is delivered in the early stages of the Garden Village scheme.
Construction has already started on Fordh Langarth (formerly known as the Northern Access Road), the Homes England funded main ‘spine’ road which will connect the development and provide a route from the A390 through Langarth to the Royal Cornwall Hospital Treliske. This is due to be completed by March 2025.
The first Reserved Matters planning application – for Governs Park- was also given the green light earlier this year. This will provide 35 hectares (85 acres) of natural green space, including 4.5ha of new woodland planting, and over 6km of walking and cycling routes for future residents of the Garden Village, as well as existing residents in the surrounding areas, including Threemilestone, Kenwyn and Truro.
Work is also taking place to develop a stewardship scheme to manage these assets.
