Work on new rugby clubhouse enables creation of 21 homes

A Wirral rugby club plans to help encourage healthier lifestyles when it moves into a new home in Wirral.

Anselmians Rugby Club has teamed up with Archway Homes to develop a new clubhouse, community hub, pitches and parking on land at Malone Field on Eastham Village Road.

Plans for a new clubhouse have been mooted since the 1980s, but only became a reality thanks to a public/private co-dependency agreement which will see the old facility demolished to make way for 21 new homes.

Samantha Dean, sales manager for Archway Homes, said: “Sports clubs like Anselmians are at the heart of the community.

“By building new homes we’re helping the club move into a new home of its own and supporting local people leading more active lifestyles.”

Homes at the development, known as Eastham Fields, are currently available “off plan”, with a third of the properties already reserved.

Club chairman Ravi Sibal said: “From a club perspective it will be absolutely massive because at the moment we are split across two sites.

“The three senior teams have been playing at Vauxhall’s, but everyone wants to be back in the clubhouse. Juniors have been playing at Port Sunlight Rugby Club, we’ve lost players and whole teams due to the lack of facilities – we are keen to build momentum and have a full complement of junior sides next season.

“In effect we haven’t had any facilities for them to play. The situation is serious across Wirral as more and more kids aren’t playing rugby or any sport for that matter. We’re working on a plan with Cheshire RFU to see what we can do with local schools to bring people back.”

Work on the foundations of the new clubhouse started in early September.

It is hoped the facilities will be finished by late Spring and that following a period of commissioning the new building could be available for use by the late Summer.

Eastham Fields

Ravi added: “The new clubhouse will not only include changing facilities for both men and women, and a bar area with terrace overlooking the main pitch, it will also have a function room that we hope will bring much-needed facilities to the village and revenue into the club.

“It won’t be available until late next Summer, but we’re already receiving enquiries for room hire.

“We’re also looking at hosting activities such as dance clubs or yoga classes. It will have a real family feel to it and will enable us to be more involved in the local community.”

There will be a new main, and training pitches, plus the provision of two coach parking spaces and more than 100 car parking spaces to help solve an ongoing village problem.

A much-needed community hub with its own entrance will be predominantly run by the youth group.