Hull KR lands development partner for Craven Park Campus scheme

English Super League club Hull Kingston Rovers has appointed Genr8 Kajima Regeneration to develop its Sewell Group Craven Park Campus masterplan.

The appointment of Manchester-based developers Genr8 comes after the rugby league club confirmed the purchase of its Craven Park stadium and up to 15 acres of surrounding land from Hull City Council back in March 2022.

This marked the first time Rovers has owned Craven Park since the late 1990s, when the stadium was sold to Kingston Community Developments Ltd (KCDL) to secure the club’s short-term future.

It was hoped the purchase agreement with Hull City Council would secure Rovers’ long-term future at the 12,000-capacity Craven Park, which opened in 1989. Working in Hull for the first time, Rovers described the appointment of Genr8 as a coup for not only the club, but the wider city.

Hull KR chief executive, Paul Lakin, said: “We’re delighted to attract a new developer to the City of Hull, but most importantly for our vision of a campus in East Hull.

“There’s still some way to go before we can share visuals or put a spade into the ground. However, the appointment of Genr8 Kajima Regeneration Ltd is a significant piece in the jigsaw. We are confident, in time, we can deliver something truly transformational for East Hull.”

Development director of Genr8 Kajima Regeneration, Warwick Smither, added: “Working with the club and local stakeholders, we aim to bring forward a major regeneration of the stadium and the adjacent land, to develop a campus feel to the area. We look forward to seeing where the journey takes us.”