CAD Architects becomes Cornish Pirates’ new planning partner

Walk past the sponsor boards at the Cornish Pirates’ home ground this season and there is a new name among them, one whose day job involves technical drawings and planning applications rather than scrum sheets and matchday programmes.

The Cornish Pirates have announced a new commercial partnership with CAD Architects Ltd, with the long-established Cornish practice becoming the club’s Official Architecture and Planning Partner.

Three teams under one banner

Established in 2000, CAD Architects has grown from its architectural roots to provide a broad range of services across the development sector. The partnership brings all three parts of the business to the Mennaye Field: CAD Architects itself, alongside its specialist divisions CAD Heritage and CAD Planning.

CAD Architects provides architectural design and technical expertise across the residential, commercial, leisure and industrial sectors, from new buildings and contemporary design through to the transformation of existing buildings. Its services extend to technical design and delivery, including Passivhaus design and energy modelling, helping clients create high-quality, practical and energy-efficient buildings.

CAD Heritage, established in 2013, provides specialist conservation architecture and heritage consultancy for those working with historic properties, listed buildings and other heritage-sensitive sites, combining an understanding of significance with practical design expertise to help clients adapt sensitive sites to meet changing needs.

CAD Planning, established in 2022, provides planning consultancy, development strategy and masterplanning services across all forms of development, with particular expertise in planning-led residential schemes and steering proposals through what the firm describes as an increasingly complex planning system.

“A partnership we are genuinely proud to be part of”

For CAD, the tie-up marks the latest chapter in a long history of supporting local sports clubs, from grassroots organisations through to Cornwall’s elite teams.

Mark Dawes, Managing Director of CAD Architects Ltd, said: “We have always been avid supporters of sports clubs, recognising the way they bring passionate people together whilst delivering opportunity and positive impacts for their local communities.

“The Pirates embody those qualities and bring great pride to people across Cornwall, representing us on the national stage. They are an important part of the county’s identity, with ambitions that extend beyond success on the field. That makes this a partnership we are genuinely proud to be part of.

“We look forward to being associated with the Pirates’ continuing success and offering our support and advice as they explore opportunities for strengthening the club and furthering their ambitions, both on and off the pitch.”

Ross Hancock, Head of Commercial and Communications at Cornish Pirates, said: “We are delighted to welcome CAD Architects Ltd as our Official Architecture and Planning Partner. CAD is a long-established Cornish business with a strong reputation and an impressive breadth of expertise across architecture, heritage and planning.

“We are always keen to develop partnerships with businesses that share our commitment to Cornwall and its communities, and we look forward to working closely with the CAD team throughout the season and beyond.”

More than 25 years in business

The partnership arrives at what CAD describes as an exciting time for the business, building on more than 25 years of success. Growth in its specialist areas, the firm says, helps it identify and unlock opportunities, shape strategies and achieve the best possible outcomes for clients across an increasingly diverse range of projects, in Cornwall and beyond.

The deal gives CAD Architects, CAD Heritage and CAD Planning a shared platform to showcase their respective expertise, right alongside a club whose ambitions, on the pitch and off it, they now have a hand in supporting.

📷Alan Paver with members of the CAD team. Credit: Harry Trump