From restoring and refurbishing two Grade II listed buildings in the centre of the town to providing new green spaces at Holman Gardens and Park Gerry, Camborne Town Council is leading the delivery of three Town Deal projects which will benefit all parts of the local community.
You can watch a short video about the projects here : https://youtu.be/iDXdbRtsc7k
In 2021 Camborne was awarded £23.7m in Town Deal funding. The Town Deal programme includes 10 projects which are aimed at regenerating the heart of Camborne and transforming the town into a visually appealing, accessible place to live, work, shop and visit.
The three Town Council led projects are:
Awenva (place of inspiration in Kernewek) – this £14m flagship project willsee the former Council offices and the White House in Basset Road transformed into a thriving arts, education and cultural hub. £11m of the funding has come from the Town Deal programme, with an additional £3.2m from Cornwall Council.
As well as securing the long-term future of the two important Grade II listed buildings, the hub will provide energy efficient space for the delivery of new much needed facilities and services.
These include the relocation and expansion of the town’s library, space for a broad range of education and training opportunities and startup businesses, culture and heritage exhibitions, a youth/community teaching café and a sensory garden. There will also be spaces of various sizes and types for lectures, conferences, community activities, concerts, creative activity like arts and craft, community art displays, health and wellbeing clinics, counselling, occupational therapy, drop in places for social interaction, youth groups, toddler groups and dementia friendly events.
The ambitious project includes constructing a new glass atrium which will join the two existing buildings together.
Listed building consent and full planning permission for the project was granted in 2025, with enabling works (stage 1) beginning in April 2025. Work on the first stage, which has been carried out by local construction company Classic Builders, is now complete, with work on the second stage due to begin in April.
Overall, the project remains on course for the building to be handed over to the Town Council in October 2027.
Park Gerry Sport and Amenity Hub – this project involves transforming Park Gerry, formerly Park Road playing fields, into an outdoor sport and leisure hub with a new accessible state-of-the-art skate park, pavilion building, football pitch and improved landscaping and pathways.
The £2.3 m project is being funded by the Town Deal programme with a contribution from the Town Council.
Work on the project was due to begin in 2025 but was initially delayed due to complications in obtaining planning permission for the Skatepark ( which is now in place) and issues with contractors. A Project Manager is being recruited to oversee the whole project which will include appointing a new contractor to carry out the ground works.
Work is currently expected to begin on site in August 2026, with the project being delivered in phases. The aim is to deliver the skatepark in the early phases, with the project due to be completed in Summer 2027.
Holman Gardens (Kerrier Way): this project involves transforming two areas of unattractive scrubland in a prominent location at the entrance to the town into a new green gateway. As well as providing a more attractive and welcoming entrance into the town, the green space will also provide a community space for performance, educational events and social interaction.
The project was originally due to be finished by August 2025 but the works were delayed following the sudden death of the groundworks contractor. A new contractor to complete the works is due to be appointed in the next few weeks, with Town Council staff carrying out weeding and general tidying up works in the meantime.
Work on the project is expected to begin in June 2026, with the project due to be completed by the end of July 2026.
“The Town Council was awarded Town Deal funding to support three projects “ said Camborne Town Clerk Jon James. “These are Awenva, the restoration and refurbishment of two Grade II listed buildings; Park Gerry, a greenfield site that will be developed for the community to use to improve their health and wellbeing, and Holman Gardens, which will be again a beautiful greenfield site for people to be able to go and enjoy and socialise “.
“These are exciting projects that will enhance the town and provide new facilities for the local community and we were delighted to be awarded funding for all three. Inevitably there have been some challenges along the way and we have been working very hard with partners, stakeholders and contractors to address these challenges and deliver all three projects.
“Work on the first stage of Awenva will be completed by April, with work on the final stage of Holman Gardens due to finish in July. Work on Park Gerry will begin in July, with this project due to be completed in Summer 2027. “
Val Dalley, Chair of the Camborne Town Deal Board, is looking forward to seeing all three projects completed.
“The projects that the Town Council are leading on all have different appeals to different parts of the community “ she said.
“Holman Gardens is an important gateway to the town, and it will be great to have a nice space where people can sit and talk and the community can get together. The three big fields at Park Gerry are currently underused and it will be brilliant to see the re-instatement of the football pitch and the new skatepark and construction of new paths all the way around the field which will make it accessible to people of all ages and disabilities.
“And finally Awenva, which is the jewel in the crown of the Town Deal projects. As well as preserving two historic buildings in the centre of the town, the hub will provide a fantastic range of services and facilities. I am really hoping that all the community will get behind it and use it to its full potential because it is going to be a truly fantastic place.”.
