Former Nursery Site At Boscawen Park Cleared: Construction of New Sports Hub Next

The former nursery site at Boscawen Park has now been fully cleared, making way for the construction of Truro’s new Community Sports Hub later this year.

Making Space for the Future

Truro City Council moved its nursery depot from Boscawen Park to a new site at Idless to create space for the development. The relocation to Fozzard Fields allowed for the use of bigger, modern greenhouses and tunnels, leaving the old ones at Boscawen Park redundant.

Rather than scrapping them, the council focused on sustainability by finding new homes for all reusable structures.

Repurposing for the Community

Richard Budge, the City Council’s Parks, Amenities & Facilities Officer, highlighted the council’s commitment to reusing as much of the old site as possible.

“We were keen to recycle as many of the buildings and equipment from the Boscawen Park depot as possible,” Richard said. “We are delighted to have found new homes for all the polytunnels and greenhouses among community groups, local growers and smallholders.”

One polytunnel has been relocated to Redruth Town Council, which plans to grow its own plants, while the old site office has been repurposed as a clubhouse for Truro Youth Football Club at Kenwyn Hill playing field.

Sustainability at the Core

Since declaring a Climate Emergency in 2019, the City Council has committed to achieving net zero carbon by 2030. It has introduced measures such as energy-efficient lighting in the community library and reducing paper use in offices.

The council also supported the first-ever Community Conversation event at Truro Cathedral in April 2024, where civic leaders and health professionals discussed practical solutions to environmental and economic challenges. In 2023, councillors unanimously backed the Climate and Ecology Bill during its passage through Parliament.

Next Steps: The Community Sports Hub

With the site now fully cleared, attention shifts to the construction of the new Community Sports Hub. Approved by Cornwall Council earlier this month, the project—led by the City Council and funded by Truro Town Deal—will bring enhanced indoor and outdoor sports facilities to Boscawen Park.

The new multi-use building will house changing facilities, flexible indoor spaces for sports such as badminton, table tennis, and basketball, and areas for community events, workshops, and conferences. Outdoor improvements include an extended boules and pétanque pitch, as well as upgrades to the grass playing surfaces to allow for longer periods of use.

Now that clearance is complete, work is set to begin later this year, bringing Truro a step closer to a modern, multi-purpose sports and community hub.