Argyle’s Foulston Park community sports hub has been awarded a £2.24 million grant to help families stay active. The Brickfields site in Devonport is being redeveloped into a sporting centre of excellence and asset for the city.
It will have a state-of-the-art gym alongside multi-use fitness rooms, café, soft play zone, esports and youth zone, and health and support services. The project also includes a 112m x 68m 3G pitch which will be used for football and rugby and new athletics track.
Argyle Community Trust is getting the cash from the Premier League, The FA, and Government’s Football Foundation – making it one of the charity’s largest investments in the South West. The funding will be used for the new community hub as well as the wider development of Foulston Park.
As part of the funding package, a Football Foundation PlayZone is being created as well as new refurbished changing rooms. The site will also include a new home for Plymouth Argyle Youth Academy as well as Plymouth Argyle Women, with construction already underway.
Mark Lovell, CEO at Plymouth Argyle Community Trust said: “The Hub at Foulston Park represents a transformative opportunity to deliver a facility in the heart of Devonport that can reduce health inequalities and become a beacon for community provision.
“It would not be possible to achieve our ambitious plans without the generosity of funders like the Football Foundation. We are looking forward to our continued partnership as we work towards opening The Hub in early 2025.”
Impression of the planned cafe at the new community hub at Argyle’s Foulston Park
(Image: Argyle Community Trust)
The new facility is being delivered through a partnership between Plymouth Argyle, Argyle Community Trust, Plymouth City Council, Plymouth Albion RFC, and Devonport Community Leisure Limited (DCLL). The site will be managed by Argyle Community Trust.
Robert Sullivan, chief executive of the Football Foundation, said: “The Football Foundation is working closely with our partners – the Premier League, The FA and Government – to transform the quality of grassroots facilities in England by delivering projects like this across the country.
“We’re delighted that the local community in Devonport and Plymouth will now be able to enjoy all these benefits thanks to the new facilities at Foulston Park, including the new Football Foundation PlayZone.
“As with all PlayZones, the new small-sided pitch will be designed by the local community who’ll be able to step out onto the pitch and get active in a way that suits them. We look forward to the opening of these new facilities in the coming months.”
To learn more about The Hub visit www.foulstonpark.co.uk.
Click here to join PlymouthLive on WhatsApp and we’ll send breaking news and top stories directly to your phone. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.