Cornish Pirates has moved a step closer to building its new stadium after it completed the transfer of land for the development.
The second-tier Championship rugby team said it has completed all documentation requirements on the transfer of the land from owner INOX via the Council.
The Stadium for Cornwall site is across three pieces of land, totalling around 12 acres at Langarth on the outskirts of Truro. It will be used as a home for the Cornish Pirates and Truro City Football Club.
The venue, scheduled to be completed by summer 2022, will have an artificial playing surface and an initial capacity of 6,000, with the potential to be expanded up to 15,000 in the future.
In a statement, Pirates and Truro City owner Dicky Evans said: “This now means that we can proceed with the design and preparation of the construction documentation for the stadium and in due course go out to tender with a view to commencing construction on the designated site in time for completion in summer 2022. There are no more hurdles to cross!”
The Pirates will now turn their attention to funding the Stadium for Cornwall, which Evans believes will cost more than the £14m envisaged two years ago.
Planning permission is in place for the stadium and funding has been provided by the partners as well as a pledge of £3m from Cornwall Council. However, the council money was dependent on another £3m being provided by the Government. It said that it was considering the request but needed the land to be secured first.
Evans added: “Turning to fundraising, our preferred option is to approach the new government come Friday on the path we have been attempting to cross for the last 18 months, and the second route is to fund from our own channels through high net worth individuals / investment banks / venture capitalists. However, who that new government will be will have a huge influence on our stadium plans.
“We are ready to let the dogs loose on construction of the stadium and it would hold no fears for myself were we to take a government grant, secured over 25 years alongside the council grant, to enable construction without any borrowings.”
Image: Cornish Pirates
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