Bath Rugby to speed up stadium plans

Bath Rugby has submitted a planning amendment seeking approval for an accelerated construction plan for its new stadium, with the club set to play two regular-season games away from the Recreation Ground to facilitate the work.

Bath gained approval for its new stadium project last year, and the club had originally targeted a phased construction period over three seasons, which would allow it to continue playing at the Recreation Ground while the work is carried out.

In recent months, the club has discussed ways to mitigate the impact of construction work on nearby residents, taking the view that a shortened construction period would be beneficial.

Bath Rugby chief executive Tarquin McDonald has now confirmed that the club has submitted a proposal to shorten the overall construction period to around 18 months, with the aim of completing the project in time for the start of the 2028-29 season.

The club is planning to build a new 18,000-seat stadium at the Recreation Ground, its home since 1894. Bath & North East Somerset Council granted initial approval for the project in September last year, and later that month the club confirmed that Steve Reed, then Secretary of State, would not be calling in the planning application for his own determination.

The improved timeline being sought by Bath would see work initially commence on the new East Stand. The East Stand work was previously scheduled to follow construction of the West Stand. The overall designs remain the same as the plans that were approved last year.

McDonald has confirmed that the club will need to create a slightly longer off-season next summer by playing its last two regular-season games at an alternate ground. The impacted home games are against Harlequins and Saracens, and The Times has reported that Bath is considering playing the fixtures at the Select Car Leasing Stadium, home of League One football club Reading.

Any potential play-off games would also be played away from the Recreation Ground. The work carried out next summer will include the relocation of the pitch by almost 25 metres in time for the 2027-28 season.

‘Minimised disruption’

In an open letter to fans, McDonald said: “We are in discussion with alternative host venues and we will update you once the location for these fixtures is confirmed. Our goal is to minimise disruption as far as possible, and we hope that you will all join us and help make these fixtures a proper home away from home. If any of our season ticket holders are unable to attend at the alternate ground we will, of course, credit your account accordingly. 

“This means that our Gallagher Prem fixture against Newcastle Red Bulls on the weekend of April 17, 2027 will be our last ever fixture in the current configuration of The Rec, and we will ensure we mark this milestone appropriately.”

In March, Sir James Dyson, the founder of multinational technology firm Dyson, acquired a 50% ownership stake in Bath, with the investment set to support the club’s plans for a new stadium.

The transaction established a long-term 50-50 partnership between Dyson and Bruce Craig, who will continue to run Bath Rugby and lead the club’s next phase of development on and off the field.

Craig acquired Bath Rugby in 2009, while Dyson, the fourth-richest person in the UK, has supported the club for more than 45 years. The Dyson company has sponsored the team since 2014.