Brickfields Development

Argyle Community Trust (ACT) has recently announced plans to transform the Brickfields Sports Centre into an exciting Community Hub.

ACT is the official charity of Plymouth Argyle Football Club. We use the prestige of football and reach of the club to inspire, engage, and help people of all ages achieve their full potential. 

Our mission is to inspire and make a positive difference to Devon and Cornwall communities through the power of sport and the brand of Plymouth Argyle.

Argyle is committed to our community. We work across Devon and Cornwall focusing our efforts on removing barriers to participation and offering opportunities that are accessible to all members of the community. We maintain a focus on disadvantaged and isolated communities, under-represented groups, at-risk children, young people, and adults. We have a clear vision, along with our national partners, to be an active, inspirational, and inclusive community organisation for the South West region. 
 
As you may be aware, the Council’s cabinet approved the progression of the wider regeneration of Brickfields Recreation Ground on Thursday, 9 March 2023. A project working group has been formed by ACT, Plymouth City Council (PCC), Plymouth Argyle Football Club (PAFC), Plymouth Albion Rugby Football Club (PARFC), and Devonport Community Leisure Ltd (DCLL) to co-design and deliver the scheme. 

Our proposal to transform the current sports centre into a community hub forms part of the wider Brickfields project, and our vision is to see primary sports at the centre complemented by ancillary health and wellbeing that the community want and need. The hub will be managed by ACT. 

ACT has secured grant funding to deliver and operate this valuable community asset, but the funding requires the hub to be completed ahead of the wider Brickfields masterplan. A separate planning application for the external alterations is needed; one isn’t required for the hub’s internal transformation. The planning application must be submitted soon to ensure grant funding is not lost.  

The proposed application, scheduled for submission the week commencing 24th July, is solely for the external alterations. The Council’s planning officers are satisfied with this procedural approach and support the approach taken to the elevations and public realm improvements.

Most importantly, the community hub would offer a diverse range of sport, health, and wellbeing functions which will be extremely valuable to residents of Devonport and Plymouth as a whole. 

The proposal has been designed to incorporate feedback from public consultation with Devonport residents on wellbeing conducted in the autumn of 2022. 

The consultation revealed that Devonport residents need accessible and affordable community spaces which help connect people and offer a wide range of wellbeing services. To help address these needs, a suite of physical and mental health activity programmes, employability and skills training services, and educational programmes will be introduced and made available, providing enhanced opportunities for local people.

All information contained in this update is subject to the relevant planning and approvals.

Please note -all times are subject to change - please check on the day before attending.

* Floodlights will be provided at no extra cost.