Can the East stand stay up?

Richard Wyatt

Something of interest from a quick look down this week’s Planning Applications list to B&NES.

Bath Rugby Ltd are hoping for a green light to extend the local authority’s previously granted permission to allow all their stands to remain standing until 2027 – including asking that the east stand can also remain in situ rather than be removed – as it normally is during the summer months.

A letter with the application states: ‘These applications are submitted in the spirit of the overall strategy to redevelop the rugby stadium as the permanent long-term home of Bath Rugby Club.

It seeks consent for a period of two further years, whilst the complicated planning application for a permanent solution can progress.’

The application also contains a letter from the Bath Recreation Ground Trust – part of which is interesting to read:

“As Bath Rugby Ltd envisaged, the Rec was utilised for an increased amount of community events during the summer 2024.

This was achieved, as the Rec was no longer directly impacted by the works and vehicle movement involved with the removal of the East Stand in the period currently required by the planning condition, which is the 6 weeks of de-rig and re-rig of the East stand during the period when the community events could take place.


The removal of the East stand not only turns large parts of the Rec into a building site (with all of
the Health and Safety considerations that entail) but also takes the southern car parks and access
out of action throughout; impacting greatly on our tenant, B&NES/GLL and use of the Sports
Centre.


Furthermore, the North car parks are also taken up with contractor parking to facilitate the de-rig,
so unless the stand stays up, the ground is effectively sanitised from use during that period.
The East Stand is directly adjacent to the outfield and area of activity, which is the optimum area
to use from an operational perspective.

Retaining the East stand in position throughout the summer provided access to services for the community groups, which were required for event delivery, such as refreshments, toilets, storage & electricity.

There are now no other facilities available at the Rec to service these proposals, given the cricket
pavilion is now used by Bath Drama Club and a physiotherapy company (https://www.physioimpulse.co.uk/contact-us.html), and Bath Rugby Foundation are located
within the Bath Rec Sports Hub, off North Parade Road.”


Published by Richard Wyatt

Freelance Journalist, broadcaster, columnist and local historian. Director of Bath Newseum. Married and lives in Bath. Interested in local history, architecture and visual display in museums and urban spaces.

4 Comments

  1. It is time for the citizens of Bath to declare a full understanding that the building of a stadium on the Rec is completely flawed. Bruce Craig had a magnificent opportunity to build a stadium in Bath on the former gas holder site on Western Riverside. He refused this opportunity, he took the wrong decision and is now paying the consequence. The City of Bath cannot bear the results of his wrong decision on the Rec.

    1. Having lived in Bath all my life can remember the rec being for everyone. Taking part in inter schools sports days, various fetes and also Somerset cricket twice or more per season. It should not be for the sole use of the rugby club, not everyone is a fan, it was supposed to be for all citizens of Bath!!

  2. There have been a series of court cases on the Rec which have involved The High Court in 2002 which ruled that the Rec is charitable land, and then a series of Tribunal hearings which examined the application of the Charities Act, transferred the freehold title to the Official Custodian for Charities, ruled that the Covenants associated with the Rec were not enforceable under the Charities Act but could be pursued under the Landlord and Tenant legislation, and also ruled that “The Trustees shall ensure that the land made available under any agreement with Bath Rugby for the site of the East Stand and for any other use that restricts free public access to, or the use of, any part of the Recreation Ground as open space, shall not exceed in surface size the maximum extent of any grant that has been approved by the Commission for the erection of the East Stand on a temporary basis since 2002 [1042 square metres]. All such land shall be returned to open space and made available to the Charity for its own purposes for a least three consecutive months in the summer of each year in a condition that permits the playing of other sports for the full three months.” The Trustees are bound by the the Public Trustee Act to deliver the Objects of the Charity, and a permanent East Stand is a breach of those Objects.

    1. This has been going for years and years and years. What a complete waste of BANES tax payers money.
      Jm Warren summarises this perfectly.
      Leave the Red as it is.

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