Bath hopeful on Recreation Ground expansion
Bath are hoping to redevelop the Recreation Ground
©Press Association
Managing Director of Bath Rugby Tarquin McDonald is hopeful the reconstruction of Recreation Ground will go as per the plan despite opposition from a small group of residents.
The members of the Bath Recreation Ground Trust which owns the land are scheduled to meet the objecting residents in front of a Charity Commission panel on 20th October to address the issue.
The reconstruction which is expected to cost over £20million will now depend on the outcome of the meeting and a final decision will be taken two to four weeks later.
"There are three or four people who don't want it to happen who live nearby, but overwhelmingly the vast number of people want to see it happen," McDonald said.
"It's unfortunate that from a legal point of view it's a dog's dinner of a site. It's complicated and that means there are all sorts of challenges that people can throw in the mix.
"This is the situation we've been in for a period of time now. The people objecting are not anti-Bath rugby, but they're not Bath rugby fans as such. They're local people who have their reasons and we respect that.
"It's just such a shame that something that would benefit so many people, the sport and the city hasn't been able to go ahead."
Following the guidelines laid by the Charity Commission at the conclusion of the meeting next month, a plan on the reconstruction will be laid in 2017 and the work is expected to commence in early 2018.
"People in Bath see the club as part of the cultural lifeblood of the city. It's not just a museum town, rugby keeps it alive and fresh," McDonald said.
"We want to be rooted to the centre of Bath, it's an important part of who we are. We want to know if it's possible to develop at the Rec and if it isn't we'll have to look at other options
"I'm hopeful and optimistic that the key hurdle in the next few months can be overcome.
"People in sport would love to see it happen because it is an iconic venue and to keep rugby in an amazing facility in the centre of the city would be brilliant."
