Key Milestone Reached for St Ives Rugby Club Scheme as Contractors Appointed

Contractors appointed as long-awaited project finally moves forward

An important milestone has been reached in the long-anticipated plans for new sports facilities and future housing in St Ives, as contractors have now been formally appointed to begin work on the town’s new rugby clubhouse and sports pitch.

Local Cornish firms Fox Construction and W R Sandow have been chosen to deliver the first phase of the scheme. Construction is expected to start towards the end of this summer, with the new pitch potentially playable in autumn 2026.

The project is being led by Cornwall Council in partnership with St Ives Rugby Club and the RFU, and has been designed to meet Sport England standards.

Modern Facilities and Room for Housing

Planning permission was granted earlier this year for both the sports development and a future housing scheme. The new rugby clubhouse will replace the existing building, and the club’s training facilities will be relocated north of their current site. The plan will create a new pitch with better access and improved views from the new clubhouse, benefiting both the club and the wider community.

The relocation is key to unlocking land for new housing. Outline permission has also been granted for up to 50 affordable homes and up to 70 extra care housing units, alongside associated open space.

Andrew Baragwanath, Chair of the St Ives Town Deal Board, said:

“I am so pleased we have reached this stage of the plan to improve sporting provision in St Ives and free up land to provide new housing as well. We would not be here without the Town Deal and Cornwall Council funding and I believe completion of the plan will be of great benefit to our community.”

Local Cornwall Councillor Andrew Mitchell added:

“This is fantastic news. I have supported both parts of this scheme – the Rugby Club development and proposed housing. It does seem to have taken an age to get to this point, but breaking ground will make it feel real and I wish all involved great success.”

Excitement from the Club

St Ives RFC are also fully behind the plans. Ian Sanders from the club said:

“St Ives Rugby Club are very excited that this project is now coming to a head. We look forward to working with Fox Construction and WR Sandow over the coming months.

“This development allows us to grow further on the pitch whilst continuing to support the local community off it for another 100 years! We also welcome the opportunity to play our part in assisting with the need for housing in our town.”

£4.9m Funding Secured

The project has received £2.9 million from the government’s Town Deal programme, with a further £2 million of match funding from Cornwall Council.

The St Ives Town Deal Board, in partnership with Cornwall Council, successfully secured a £19.9 million Town Deal to support a range of regeneration projects in the town. Cornwall Council is the lead authority for Cornwall Town Deals, supporting the governance of the St Ives Town Deal Board and managing the fund.