An ambitious scheme for a new home for Falmouth rugby club took a step closer this week when the much anticipated plans for a move to a site on the outskirts of the town were revealed.

The club, whose home has been at the Recreation Ground in Dracaena Avenue since before the Second World War, have invited the public to informally view proposals for a new ground at Menehay Farm near Budock.

Carrick district council own the current ground, which the club have a 25 year lease on, and the idea is to sell the prime Recreation Ground site for housing and use the money to fund the move to the 16-acre site at Menehay.

Although the proposed plans are at an early stage the club is hoping that an application will go before Carrick district council before the end of February.

The scheme, which will cost around £2m, will include two pitches, a training area and a clubhouse.

Falmouth architects Christopher Smith Associates have been asked to draw up the designs and the public will be able to see the proposals at the Recreational Ground on Monday between 3pm and 6pm. Overall the size of the scheme has been agreed but the interior of the clubhouse has yet to be finalised.

Hugh Merton, who is the project manager for the rugby club, said the move represented an exciting opportunity for the club and particularly its youth teams.

Mr Merton, who was formerly the Falmouth club secretary for five years, said that if everything went to plan then the club expect to play its last game at the Recreational Ground in February or March 2007 and play its first game in its new Menehay home in October or November of the same year.

He told the Packet: "This is very much a partnership between the club and the district council so we both can achieve from it. There are three results that can come out of this.

"Firstly, we can move to a more modern pitch and offer better facilities. Secondly, Carrick council will provide money for us to move and also have the opportunity to provide affordable housing for local people in Falmouth; thirdly the move will provide funding for a 'Hubclub' for sport at Union Corner in conjunction with Falmouth School, the squash club and the county council."

Falmouth Albion, an associated team of Falmouth Rugby Club, will be offered to use the venue for training, the bar changing rooms and the bar but not the pitch.

Mr Merton added that with finance in sport is very hard to come by particularly with the Olympics coming to this country in 2012 this was a great opportunity for the club and something it has been aspiring for in the past 15 years.

He was particularly pleased that it could give a great opportunity and better facilities for the growing younger club members.