Cumberland Sports Village Plans Move Forward as 5,000-Capacity Scheme Takes Shape

Plans for the new Cumberland Sports Village in Workington have moved another step towards construction, with fresh planning work submitted, detailed design work nearing completion and the process to appoint a main contractor now under way.

Cumberland Council confirmed on Thursday 6 August that the latest stage of the project includes a reserved-matters planning submission covering the previously outline Phase 2 elements of the stadium. The application is now identifiable on the council planning register as RMA/2026/0004. The expanded scheme is intended to create a completed stadium with a total capacity of 5,000 spectators.

Update, 12 August 2026: the new reserved-matters application is now live on Cumberland Council's public planning register. It remains a submitted application and should not be confused with a planning approval. The public register can be viewed under reference RMA/2026/0004.

Site surveys were carried out earlier this summer, detailed design work is due to be completed by September 2026, enabling works are expected later this year and the council's current programme targets the start of the main construction phase in January 2027.

The project is about considerably more than replacing an ageing football ground. If delivered as planned, it will create a shared home for Workington AFC and Workington Town RLFC, a new community sports pitch, hospitality and conference space, community facilities and a venue capable of hosting activity outside normal match days.

What is the latest Cumberland Sports Village update?

The newest announcement confirms four significant developments:

• A reserved-matters planning application, RMA/2026/0004, has been submitted to bring detailed Phase 2 elements into the wider stadium scheme.
• Detailed design work is continuing following site surveys carried out during the summer and is expected to be complete by September.
• The procurement process to appoint the main construction contractor is under way.
• Enabling works are being planned for later in 2026, ahead of a targeted main construction start in January 2027.

The council is also preparing new public engagement sessions where supporters and residents will be able to see updated CGI images, discuss the delivery programme and ask questions about the scheme.

Where will Cumberland Sports Village be built?

The main stadium will be built on the site of the existing Borough Park, currently the home of Workington AFC and also known through sponsorship as the Fibrus Community Stadium.

The address given by Cumberland Council is Borough Park, Workington, CA14 2DT.

The site sits within the Lower Derwent Valley close to Workington town centre, Workington Leisure Centre and other established sports facilities including cricket and bowling clubs.

A separate community pitch is planned on neighbouring Lonsdale Park, the site of the former greyhound track. Cumberland Council says delivery of that community pitch will be undertaken by the Football Foundation.

How big will the new stadium be?

The completed Cumberland Sports Village is now planned to have a total stadium capacity of 5,000.

This point is important because the project has changed as additional funding has become available. Earlier Phase 1 designs were based on a 3,700-capacity initial stadium, consisting of around 1,000 seated places in the main West Stand and around 2,700 standing places.

Additional funding secured in April 2026 allowed the council to progress the wider scheme, including replacement and expansion work that had previously sat within Phase 2. The intention is now to deliver the stadium as a more complete single project rather than leave major expansion work for a later date.

The latest council announcement uses wording referring to Phase 2 and a 5,000-spectator capacity. Previous council project information makes clear that 5,000 is the planned total capacity of the completed stadium, rather than the capacity of the main stand by itself.

What will actually be built?

The approved hybrid planning application and subsequent council reports give a detailed picture of the proposed sports village.

New West Stand

The existing main stand at Borough Park is planned to be demolished and replaced by a substantially larger West Stand.

Plans previously presented by the council include:

• Seating for up to around 1,000 spectators in the initial design, including wheelchair viewing spaces.
• A large first-floor function suite with lift access.
• Executive boxes overlooking the pitch.
• A sports bar.
• An external fan zone.
• Administrative space for both Workington AFC and Workington Town RLFC.
• A main reception.
• A press and media suite.
• A match-day control room.
• Four changing-room spaces for teams, officials and community users.
• Supporting medical, laundry, toilet and kit facilities.

The new reserved-matters work is important because Phase 2 provides the mechanism for extending the stands and increasing the overall capacity towards 5,000.

Replacement North, East and South stands

Cumberland Council's May 2026 Executive report says the transformed scheme is intended to replace all four stands.

Earlier detailed proposals showed a replacement uncovered North Stand terrace, a covered East Stand standing terrace and a covered South Stand terrace. The East and North stands were also proposed to move slightly away from their current positions to create a larger playing area and allow space for the expanded stadium layout.

The exact final layouts, scale, appearance, access and landscaping for the Phase 2 components are matters that require planning approval through the reserved-matters process.

New artificial pitch

The existing grass playing surface is planned to be replaced by an artificial pitch suitable for both football and rugby league.

The planning committee report states that the pitch must meet the relevant standards for football and rugby league, with detailed design information requiring approval following consultation with Sport England.

That shared playing surface is central to the plan for Workington AFC and Workington Town RLFC to use the same stadium.

Community pitch at Lonsdale Park

Alongside the main stadium, the wider sports village includes an all-weather community pitch between Borough Park and Workington Leisure Centre.

The intention is for this facility to be available to local clubs and community users, increasing the amount of accessible sports provision within the wider Lower Derwent Valley sports area.

Which clubs will use Cumberland Sports Village?

The new stadium is planned to become the shared home of:

• Workington AFC, widely known as Workington Reds.
• Workington Town RLFC.

Workington AFC currently play at Borough Park, while Workington Town play at nearby Derwent Park.

The planning process has also had to consider how both sports can continue while Borough Park is under construction. Planning documents reviewed by Cumbria Guru refer to a draft temporary groundshare arrangement involving Derwent Park during the construction period, while Workington Reds' under-23 side had also received an indication that Penrith AFC could accommodate its fixtures during the 2026/27 season.

A condition attached to the planning permission requires a completed groundshare agreement to be approved before development begins, helping to ensure existing users are not left without suitable facilities during construction.

Could the stadium host events as well as football and rugby?

Yes. This is one of the reasons the development is significant beyond the two clubs.

Cumberland Council says the improved hospitality offer is intended to allow the venue to be used for meetings, conferences, functions, events and community activities as well as sport.

The proposed function suite, sports bar, fan zone, media facilities and community spaces give the project the potential to become a year-round venue rather than a stadium used only on match days.

There has not yet been a published programme of concerts or large non-sporting events, and it would be premature to describe Cumberland Sports Village as a future concert venue. However, the approved and proposed facilities clearly allow for a much broader range of commercial and community uses than the existing Borough Park can currently support.

What is the planning status?

The planning position has several stages, which can easily become confusing.

The original application, FUL/2025/0119, was a hybrid application. It sought:

• Full planning permission for Phase 1, including the comprehensive redevelopment of the stadium, new stands, hospitality and retail areas, function space, changing rooms, revised access, parking and landscaping.
• Outline permission for Phase 2, covering extensions to the North, South, East and West stands, additional spectator accommodation, terraces and associated facilities.

Cumberland Council's Planning Committee unanimously approved that application on 27 May 2026, subject to conditions and completion of the required legal agreement.

The conditions specifically state that the layout, scale, appearance, access and landscaping for Phase 2 must be submitted and approved as reserved matters before that part of the development starts.

The council's 6 August update confirmed that a reserved-matters application had been submitted to incorporate the Phase 2 details into the overall scheme. The application is now live on Cumberland Council's planning register under reference RMA/2026/0004.

The reserved-matters stage deals with the detailed design issues that were left for later approval under the outline Phase 2 permission, including matters such as layout, scale, appearance, access and landscaping.

That submission is an important milestone, but it has not yet been approved. The Phase 2 reserved matters still require a formal planning decision before those elements of the development can proceed.

Anyone who wants to follow the application directly can search Cumberland Council's planning register for RMA/2026/0004. The live application page is available through the council's public register.

How much will Cumberland Sports Village cost?

The funding picture has evolved alongside the design, so headline figures need to be treated carefully.

An earlier Phase 1 economic case put that stage of the development at £12.72 million, supported through a mixture of Workington Town Deal funding, Cumberland Council, Sellafield Social Impact Fund, UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Football Foundation support.

In April 2026, a further £4.5 million was secured from the Cumbria Combined Authority. The council said this additional money would allow the scheme to be enhanced, replacing the remaining terraces and increasing stadium capacity to 5,000.

At its May 2026 meeting, Cumberland Council's Executive then authorised procurement for demolition, enabling works and construction through its Capital Works Framework up to a maximum value of £16.6 million.

That figure is a procurement ceiling, not a confirmed final construction price. The Executive minutes also make clear that the eventual award of the main construction contract requires a further Executive decision, accompanied by proposals for operating the stadium and a fully costed business case.

For that reason, Cumbria Guru is not describing £16.6 million as the final cost of Cumberland Sports Village. The confirmed contract value should become clearer when the procurement process concludes.

Who is funding the project?

The latest council information identifies support from:

• The UK Government's Workington Town Deal.
• Cumberland Council.
• Cumbria Combined Authority, including the additional £4.5 million announced in April.
• The Football Foundation.

Earlier project financial documents also identified support within the Phase 1 package from the Sellafield Social Impact Fund and UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

The wider Workington Town Deal secured more than £23 million of government funding for a programme of regeneration projects across the town, with the sports village forming one part of a much larger investment programme.

When will construction start?

The current programme announced on 6 August is:

• Summer 2026: Site investigation and surveys carried out.
• September 2026: Detailed design work expected to be completed.
• Later in 2026: Enabling works expected to begin on site.
• January 2027: Main construction programme scheduled to start.

The council's existing 2025 to 2027 Delivery Plan previously carried a target to deliver Cumberland Sports Village by 31 July 2027. However, the project has since been enlarged and its delivery model revised, so the updated construction programme due through the current engagement process will be the more useful guide to the eventual completion date.

As with any major construction scheme, dates remain subject to planning, procurement, site conditions and the final contract programme.

How does this fit into the regeneration of Workington?

Cumberland Sports Village is one of several major schemes currently changing Workington.

The council describes it as a key part of the town's regeneration programme and expects the project to contribute to physical and economic development through new sports infrastructure, events and community activity.

Other Workington projects include the town-centre public realm and Gateway redevelopment, the Digital Accelerator Hub, the recently completed Innovation Centre and development around the Port of Workington and Oldside.

The original Workington Town Deal was built around growing the town's economy, employment, connectivity, skills and cultural offer. The sports village sits within that wider strategy by creating a modern venue close to the town centre while bringing together professional clubs, grassroots sport and community facilities.

For visitors, it also has the potential to strengthen Workington's events offer. A modern shared stadium with hospitality and conference space could attract people into the town for more than regular league fixtures, supporting nearby shops, places to eat and other local businesses.

When can the public see the latest plans?

The Cumberland Sports Village project team will attend two weekends of sporting fixtures in Workington to show the latest information and answer questions.

• Saturday 15 August 2026: Workington Reds v Guiseley at the Fibrus Community Stadium.
• Sunday 16 August 2026: Workington Town men's and women's home fixtures against Rochdale Hornets.

The council says the sessions will include progress information, key milestones, updated CGI visualisations and the latest delivery programme.

Anyone interested in the scheme can also follow updates through the official Cumberland Sports Village project page.

What happens next?

The next major milestones are the determination of reserved-matters application RMA/2026/0004, completion of detailed design work, contractor procurement and the beginning of enabling works.

The most significant financial milestone will come when Cumberland Council considers the award of the main construction contract. Its May Executive decision specifically requires a further report before that contract is awarded.

If the current programme remains on track, visible construction activity should increase during the final months of 2026 before the main build begins in January.

Cumbria Guru will continue to follow the project as the planning details, construction contractor, final programme and eventual opening arrangements are confirmed.

Explore more around the town in our Workington destination guide.