THE Plymouth Argyle Academy is to move to a redeveloped Brickfields.

Argyle, the Argyle Community Trust, Plymouth City Council, Plymouth Albion RFC and Devonport Community Leisure Ltd (DCLL) have struck a deal which will see £21m invested in rejuvenating the under-utilised Brickfields site in Devonport, with a focus on community health, wellbeing, and raising aspirations.

As part of the plans, Argyle will provide an eight-figure investment towards the project, which will see wholesale redevelopment of Brickfields to install top-notch facilities for their ambitious youth Academy, including a covered pitch and other amenities which are of the standard required to apply for Category 2 status in the future.

Further detail on the site’s future layout will be revealed in due course, but the initial agreement operates on the principle that the Academy centre will include:

  • An improved suite of playing pitches including three grass football pitches, and replacing an existing grass rugby training pitch with a new 3G pitch

  • A new purpose-built Academy building, including classrooms for scholars, office space for Academy staff, changing rooms, a gym, and a parents’ lounge 

  • A new floodlit 3G football pitch to replace a poor condition (currently closed) hockey pitch  

  • A new, covered 3G football pitch

  • Conversion of the existing 60m x 40m rubber crumb pitch to two PlayZones exclusively for public use

  • Better site access, public realm and parking

  • Opening up the site for community paths

The partnership with Plymouth City Council, Plymouth Albion RFC, DCLL and other grass-roots sports clubs will see Argyle further its community status with the development of a new community hub on the site, operated by the Argyle Community Trust.

The site will also become the permanent home of the Argyle Women’s first-team.

Andrew Parkinson, Chief Executive Officer and Trustee of the Argyle Community Trust , said: “This is a significant milestone in the club’s proud history, and provides great excitement for the future of Argyle, with the prospect of a permanent academy base taking us one step further in our strategic vision to see the club attract, retain and develop the region’s best young talent.

“Regenerating the site to provide first-class facilities for our Academy and other elite sports addresses a need, not only for Argyle, but other stakeholders, including Plymouth Albion RFC.“The proposal will also provide significant benefit for the Devonport community, allowing the Argyle Community Trust to use redeveloped facilities to manage a thriving community hub, providing members of the public with access, support, and equipment to reduce health inequalities and promote wellbeing.”

Investment in facilities at Brickfields will be delivered in tandem with an enhanced, proactive provision of services and support offered to local residents by the Trust. The wide-ranging offering will significantly exceed what is presently available for the community at Brickfields, including education and employment programmes, adult education, wellbeing support, a dedicated space for youth services, a soft play centre, new, affordable gym, and a community café.