WORKINGTON TOWN could be on their way back to Borough Park, the ground used between their first season in 1945-46 until 1955-56, after which they built their current Fibrus Community Stadium (Derwent Park) home half a mile away.
Plans to redevelop Workington Football Club’s Borough Park into the Cumberland Sports Village, a £6million-plus, 3,700-capacity facility to be operated by the company of that name and used by both professional teams as well as the local community, are progressing.
The new four-sided stadium would have seating for 1,000 and standing for 2,700, an artificial playing surface and new floodlights, a large function suite, executive boxes and a sports bar, an external fan zone and facilities for meetings, conferences and community events.
Funding would be through the Towns Fund, a pot of Government money resulting from the plan to level up regions, Cumberland Council and the Football Foundation, the body who are also supporting the installation of a new hybrid pitch at The Shay in Halifax.
The new stadium project has been ongoing since 2018, with plans downsized from the initial 8,000-capacity objective.
At that stage, proposed completion was in time to become a venue for the last Rugby League World Cup, originally scheduled for 2021.
However hopes fell through after the old Allerdale Borough Council scaled back the plans, saying that size of stadium posed a “considerable financial risk”.
Three men’s ties were instead played at Newcastle’s Kingston Park when the pandemic-delayed tournament finally took place in 2022.
Events are to be held to get feedback from the public on the current plans, which should be submitted to the council at the end of July.
If they get the green light, it is hoped construction will begin early next year and be completed in late summer 2027.
Cumberland Council leader, Cllr Mark Fryer, said: “We remain fully committed to supporting Cumberland Sports Village.
“I have been fighting for West Cumbria to have a top-class stadium for many years and it is fantastic that we now have some revised detailed designs for a venue which will cement our status as major players on the sporting map.”
A spokesperson for the League One Rugby League club said: “We believe the project will inspire future generations to want to watch and play sport in this facility.
“We feel the project is of the right scale, with a sensible and realistic approach, and will provide lasting benefits for Workington and West Cumbria.”
Workington FC have played at Borough Park since 1937, and were members of the Football League from 1951 until 1977, during which time the ground hosted Chelsea, Manchester United and Nottingham Forest in cup-ties.
The club now play in the top flight of the Northern Premier League, three levels below the Football League.
The Rugby League club have played occasional matches at Borough Park since 1956, including three in 2019 during pitch maintenance work at Derwent Park.