Bath Rugby make significant change to stadium plans
They say the world has changed during the pandemic
Bath Rugby have made a significant change to their plans for a new stadium at the Rec.
The club has been putting together designs for more than a year and until now they have wanted to build a permanent 18,000 seater ground, with a raised pitch so a car park can be built underneath.
Now though, because of the pandemic during which time their work has been paused, the club says it is scrapping the car park idea because, "we no longer believe it is appropriate to base the sustainability of the stadium and the club on car parking."
"We feel a great sense of responsibility to the club and the city, and to future generations of players and supporters," a statement from the club reads.
"As part of this responsibility, the financial sustainability of the club has always sat at the heart of our plans for a new stadium in Bath, alongside the desire for an exceptional design.
"The raising of the pitch in previous designs created the space for a public car park much like the adjacent parking under the Leisure Centre, with the provision of parking at the Rec compensating for the loss of other city-centre parking sites allocated for development and contributing to the financial sustainability of the development.
"During this period of reflection we have identified a satisfactory design solution to mitigate long-term challenges relating to flood risks and the water table which do not require the full raising of the pitch.
"The world has changed over the course of the pandemic.
"We no longer believe it is appropriate to base the sustainability of the stadium and the club on car parking.
"We will therefore not be including an under-pitch car park in future proposals for redevelopment at the Rec."
It is likely to be some time before any development work at the ground actually starts, in part because of historical covenants on the land.
These allow anyone objecting to the development the right to bring legal challenges.
Lawyers for Bath Rugby had tried to argue the covenants were unenforceable, but last year a judge ruled against them. An appeal is now due to be heard in the autumn.
In the meantime the club says it remains committed to the city and the Rec.
"We will continue to consider solutions for an appropriate design at the Rec, which must also be financially sustainable over the long-term," they say.