St Ives Rugby Club £4.9m rebuild passes key milestone

Foundations laid. Drainage in. Utilities moved. After a start that involved severe weather and a site full of boulders nobody had planned for, the £4.9m rebuild of St Ives Rugby Club has reached the point the project team have been working towards since September. The scheme is now well into its main build phase, and the first materials for the ground floor of the new clubhouse arrive within weeks.

What the milestone means

Following the diversion of all the major utilities earlier this year, foundations have been laid for the clubhouse building. On the new sports pitch, drainage is complete, designed to attenuate surface water and prevent downstream impacts.

That is the marker the project needed. Material for the ground floor of the building is due to arrive in the next few weeks. The sports pitch is due to be completed by Spring 2027, with construction of the clubhouse finished by the same point.

Kieren Couch, project lead, said: “It has not been the easiest start to this transformational project; however, the commitment and support from everyone involved have helped overcome many challenges and has established a strong foundation for the ongoing delivery phase. We are grateful for the continued collaboration between the Council, the Rugby Club, contractors and wider partners, and remain focused on delivering a facility that will bring lasting benefits for the club and the local community.”

Storms, and a site full of boulders

Getting here was not straightforward. Planning permission was granted in 2025, with Cornish contractors Fox Construction and W R Sandow appointed in July 2025. Work formally began in September 2025 with the demolition of the existing grandstand and the installation of new underground drainage.

Then came prolonged severe weather earlier in the year. And then the boulders. Large blue elvan boulders were found throughout the site, forcing modifications to the intended design. Rather than being removed, the ones salvaged through excavation are being worked into the final landscaping, keeping the distinctive character of the ground.

What is being built

Led by Cornwall Council and funded by St Ives Town Deal, the project has been developed in partnership with St Ives Rugby Club and the RFU, and meets the requirements and standards of Sport England.

It will deliver a modern clubhouse and two full size sports pitches for the club and the local community. As well as relocating the clubhouse, the scheme moves the training facilities to create a new pitch east of the previous site, and gives better access and improved sightlines of the main pitch from the new building.

Andrew Baragwanith, Chair of the St Ives Town Deal Board, said: “This is a very important project both for the Rugby Club and for St Ives. As well as improving sporting facilities in our town, this project will free up land to provide much needed new housing. This is a great example of partnership working as the project would not be happening without the support of the Town Deal Board and Cornwall Council.

“As a near neighbour I have been watching the work taking place on the site with great interest and look forward to seeing the project completed and everyone enjoying the new facilities.”

Local Cornwall Councillor and Mayor of St Ives Andrew Mitchell said: “It is great to see the progress which has been made with this project over the last few months. The new facilities will make a huge difference to the Rugby Club and the wider local community and I look forward to enjoying my first drink in the new club house.”

Housing on the old site

The move is what frees up the land. Outline planning permission for up to 50 dwellings and up to 70 extra care units, with associated open space, was granted in 2025. Those works come in a later phase, beyond the initial Town Deal investment.

The fit out, and the fundraising

The internal fit out of the clubhouse was not originally in the Town Deal project. Following further financial support from Town Deal, alongside a contribution directly from the Rugby Club, Cornwall Council has agreed the works will now be included, creating a ready-to-use facility from day one of completion.

The club is now raising funds to cover its share.

Ian Sanders, Chairman of the Rugby Committee, said: “This project is about far more than bricks and mortar. It’s about creating a home for future generations and protecting everything that grassroots rugby gives our community. The support we’ve already received has been incredible, and we’re excited to continue that journey through a range of fundraising events and sponsorship opportunities over the coming months.”

The project has received £2.9 million from the government’s Town Deal programme and £2m match funding from Cornwall Council. St Ives secured a Town Deal of up to £19.9 million in June 2021, one of four Cornish towns invited to bid alongside Camborne, Penzance and Truro.