Council playing fields handed over to Plymouth rugby club

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PITCHES are to be handed over by the council to a Plymstock rugby club allowing it to pay for improvements to the sporting facilities.

The publicly-owned Horsham playing fields have been officially transferred to the trustees of Plymstock Albion Oaks Rugby Club by Plymouth City Council.

It is the first execution of such a hand-over under the council’s community asset transfer policy.

The club say the move, which puts it in charge of looking-after the 22-acre site that it currently uses as a home ground, will allow it to grow and attract more funding now that the long-term viability of a ground has been secured.

The rugby club previously took the Staddiscombe Road fields under a long lease, but says it was unable to attract external funding for improving the site because of the lease’s conditions.

A revised long-lease has now been agreed which should enable the club to secure funding. Plans are in place to upgrade the existing facilities, including the changing rooms and pavilion.

Plymstock Albion Oak’s chairman said the asset transfer had paved the way for much-needed site improvements.

“The rugby club outgrew the current facilities quite some time ago and has struggled to deliver a high quality sporting experience under the current conditions,” said club chair Nigel Higginson.

“Now that both the funding and community asset transfer are in place, work on the new clubhouse extension and function room has started with an end of October completion date.

“Although these new facilities will deliver a higher quality sporting and social experience to all of our members, it also allows Oak rugby to develop into the community, working alongside local schools, children with special educational needs and [providing] a more attractive proposition to other sports.”

Cllr Chris Penberthy, responsible for housing and community safety, said: “This is a club that invests time and effort in the community and in return is hugely successful in creating a feel good factor among its members.

“Encouraging local people to own assets, whether it’s a building or land helps, strengthen the local community and bring people from different backgrounds together.”

The club has announced plans to extend and upgrade the existing pavilion, creating a commercial kitchen, dining area, changing rooms, function room and disabled toilet facilities.

A new changing block will have changing rooms for ladies and girls teams, providing segregation between genders while current changing rooms will also be refurbished.

Last year the site was invaded by 30 travellers’ caravans for two weeks, leaving piles of rubbish in their wake. The council came under criticism from local councillors for how long it took to move the travellers on.

Article source: http://www.sportinglife.com/rugby-union/news/article/504/9094491/ireland-lose-sean-obrien

Council playing fields handed over to Plymouth rugby club