The Hub at Foulston Park, a new state-of-the-art community hub in Devonport powered by Argyle Community Trust, has been awarded a £2.24 million grant from the Premier League, The FA, and Government’s Football Foundation – one of the charity’s largest investments into the South West.
The new community hub will provide the access, support, and equipment to reduce health inequalities, promote wellbeing, and become a beacon for local community activity provision for generations. The Hub will house a state-of-the-art gym alongside multi-use fitness rooms, café, soft play zone, esports and youth zone, and health and support services.
The project forms part of the wider regeneration and delivery of Foulston Park, a multi-million-pound development to transform the site into a centre of sport for the community. The project will deliver a new 112m x 68m 3G pitch which will be used for football and rugby and new athletics track. As part of the funding package, a Football Foundation PlayZone is being created to help families stay active as well as new refurbished changing rooms.
The wider site will also include a new home for Plymouth Argyle Youth Academy, positioning the club as a leader in player development and building a sustainable pathway for talent, as well as Plymouth Argyle Women.
The redevelopment of Foulston Park will have a positive ripple effect on sport within Plymouth and the grant award from the Football Foundation will enable the delivery of the ambitious project, alongside additional investment from other sponsors. Construction is already underway on site with the opening expected in early 2025.
The new facility is being delivered through a partnership between some of the leading sports and wellbeing brands in the city – Plymouth Argyle, Argyle Community Trust, Plymouth City Council, Plymouth Albion RFC, and Devonport Community Leisure Limited (DCLL). The site will be managed by Argyle Community Trust.
Mark Lovell, CEO at Plymouth Argyle Community Trust said: “The Hub at Foulston Park represents a transformative opportunity to deliver a facility in the heart of Devonport that can reduce health inequalities and become a beacon for community provision.
“It would not be possible to achieve our ambitious plans without the generosity of funders like the Football Foundation. We are looking forward to our continued partnership as we work towards opening The Hub in early 2025.”
Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, said: “The Football Foundation is working closely with our partners – the Premier League, The FA and Government – to transform the quality of grassroots facilities in England by delivering projects like this across the country.
“We’re delighted that the local community in Devonport and Plymouth will now be able to enjoy all these benefits thanks to the new facilities at Foulston Park, including the new Football Foundation PlayZone.
“As with all PlayZones, the new small-sided pitch will be designed by the local community who’ll be able to step out onto the pitch and get active in a way that suits them. We look forward to the opening of these new facilities in the coming months.”
To learn more about The Hub visit www.foulstonpark.co.uk.