THE chairperson of the Stadium for Cornwall has said how "incredibly disappointed” the group is at Cornwall Council’s decision to withdraw the stadium bid from its Levelling Up programme.

Martin Tucker, Chairperson of the Stadium for Cornwall CIC, has spoken out about the CIC's disappointment following recent announcements that Cornwall Council has withdrawn the Stadium bid from its Levelling Up programme.

The project had experienced similar disappointment last year when Chancellor Rishi Sunak did not pledge any funding for the project in his autumn budget.

Martin Tucker, Chairperson of the Stadium for Cornwall CIC, and Principal of Truro and Penwith College, said: "Board members of the Stadium for Cornwall CIC were incredibly disappointed to learn last week that Cornwall Council was withdrawing support for the Culture bid being worked on by the CIC as part of the Government’s Levelling Up programme.

"The council had requested that the CIC write the bid on their behalf, and it was actively engaged in the writing process at the time.

"At no stage of this process was the CIC asked to re-submit the Stadium for Cornwall business case and remained confident of its delivery following previous scrutiny and approval by Sport England on behalf of the Department for Culture, Media & Sport.

"The reason given to the CIC for the withdrawal of Culture bid support was a reluctance from both the Council and local MPs to see funding going towards the Stadium project at the expense of other projects that might go for funding in future rounds of the Levelling Up programme.

"As a result of the council’s withdrawal, the Stadium for Cornwall CIC board has voted to cease co-developing the Stadium for Cornwall project in its former capacity.

"Truro and Penwith College will no longer be a key stakeholder in the project, which is a huge disappointment after 12 years of hard work from everyone involved.

"Those concerned will now move to support the future of the Langarth site as a Truro City Football Club led development and remain fully supportive of their efforts to create a smaller ground facility that would still provide for rugby, football, and importantly, high levels of community use for people and organisations from across Cornwall."

Cornish Pirates CEO and Stadium for Cornwall CIC Trustee Rebecca Thomas has said: "It is extremely disappointing that after many years and seemingly making good steps towards the Stadium for Cornwall facility that it has now come to this.

"We have worked tirelessly as one of the stadium partners to deliver a facility that would benefit the whole of Cornwall, providing top level sport, community and business use.

"The Cornish Pirates Ltd Board still remain committed to securing further investment to develop a facility that will enable Truro City Football Club to return to the County and that will allow the continued ambition of providing top level rugby in Cornwall."