Stadium for Cornwall funding bid withdrawn from the council's Levelling Up programme
The Stadium for Cornwall CIC has voted to stop co-developing the site in its former capacity
Last updated 29th Jun 2022
It is understood that the Council has withdrawn a funding bid for the Stadium for Cornwall from its Levelling Up programme.
The Stadium for Cornwall Community Investment Company (CIC), which has been overseeing the the project, says the reason given was because money needs to go towards other things.
As a result, the CIC has voted to stop co-developing the stadium in its current capacity.
Instead it will support the future of the site at Langarth on the outskirts of Truro as a smaller facility, led by Truro City Football Club.
The CIC says that would still provide for rugby, football, and high levels of community use for people and organisations from across Cornwall.
Board members "incredibly disappointed"
Martin Tucker, Chair of the Stadium for Cornwall CIC and Principal of Truro and Penwith College, said: "The council had requested that the CIC write the bid on their behalf and it was actively engaged in the writing process at the time. At no stage of this process was the CIC asked to re-submit the Stadium for Cornwall business case and remained confident of its delivery following previous scrutiny and approval by Sport England on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media & Sport.
"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.
"As a result of the council’s withdrawal, the Stadium for Cornwall CIC has voted to cease co-developing the Stadium for Cornwall project in its former capacity.
"Truro and Penwith College will no longer be a key stakeholder in the project, which is a huge disappointment after 12 years of hard work from everyone involved.
"Those concerned will now move to support the future of the Langarth site as a Truro City Football Club led development and remain fully supportive of their efforts to create a smaller ground facility that would still provide for rugby, football, and importantly, high levels of community use for people and organisations from across Cornwall".
'Extremely disappointing it has now come to this'
Speaking with reference to the CIC statement, Cornish Pirates CEO and Stadium for Cornwall CIC Trustee 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".
Statement from Cornwall Council
In a statement, Cornwall Council said: "Due to a change in the Levelling Up Fund criteria Cornwall Council has taken the decision not to submit a bid for the Stadium for Cornwall project on this occasion.
"We had understood that submissions to the ‘culture’ strand of LUF were additional to the 6 Parliamentary constituency bids we are able to put forward under the rules. However, this is not the case and we have taken the decision to focus on those constituency bids at this time.
"We would like to thank the stadium partners for the work they have done and will continue to work with them to identify appropriate funding opportunities in the future".