Plymouth Argyle to Revamp Home Park Stadium

August 16, 2013

Plymouth Argyle FC’s Home Park stadium is set to be revamped after Plymouth City Council approved planning permission which will include a new grandstand, a 10-screen cinema and a hotel.

The Council granted the ideas which also include plans for 1,636 square metres of A1 retail space, 3,486 square metres of A3 restaurant space and an ice arena on the 4.6-hectare site. 

The plans, submitted by developer Akkeron Leisure, would see the Sky Bet League 2 team’s existing South Stand demolished and replaced with a new 4,800-seat grandstand.

According to a planning report, 211 representations were received by the council objecting to the plans while 177 were made in support. Objections focused on the design of the scheme, size of buildings, impact on neighbouring parkland and traffic impact. Support focused on the scheme’s potential positive economic impact on the city.

The report said that as the site is out of centre, the issue of the potential impact the retail element of the scheme could have on the city centre was an “important consideration”. But it said that the A1 retail floor space at the site would not represent “a significant adverse impact on the city centre … nor will they unacceptable adverse impact on the vitality and viability of the city centre”. However, it recommended that restrictions be put the retail units limiting them to the sale of sports and leisure goods.

On the design of the scheme, the report said that it was “considered that the proposed development will deliver a significant and impressive composition of high quality buildings that contribute positively to the character and appearance of the area and local visual amenity”.

Recommending the plans for approval, the report said that the development would have “significant physical, social and economic benefits that would have both a local and city wide impact. The proposed development will help contribute towards the regeneration of Central Park and includes improvements and enhancements to the wider park”.