Bath win Supreme Court battle to redevelop Recreation Ground
- Published
The Recreation Ground currently holds 14,509 people
Bath have been given the green light to build a new stadium on their Recreation Ground site after the Supreme Court threw out an appeal against the proposed redevelopment.
The UK's most senior court's decision brings an end to a long-running legal dispute between objectors and the club.
Bath want to replace the temporary stands with a stadium that would increase capacity to 18,000 seats.
The Premiership club's current facilities date back to the 1950s.
"We are delighted with this outcome. We acknowledge that this has felt drawn out and at times frustrating for the club, our supporters and the city," Bath's chief executive Tarquin McDonald told the club's website, external.
"Now that the Supreme Court has ruled, we finally have the certainty we need as a club to bring forward comprehensive proposals for a new stadium at our spiritual home, The Rec, located in the heart of Bath.
"The club will be re-engaging with stakeholders across the city regarding the development project, and intends to bring forward and share its plans with the city in due course. This will regenerate the riverside, and provide outstanding facilities for rugby and the wider community which everyone in the city can be proud of."
Bath are bottom of the Premiership, having lost all six of their matches this season.
Initial plans for a purpose-built stadium with an underground car park were unveiled in July 2018 and included regeneration of the riverside area.
Revised designs were then published in November 2019, showing the height of the stadium reduced by five metres, before it was announced that plans for the underground car park would be scrapped entirely in April last year.
In March, the club were given permission to continue to use the temporary stands for three more years while they drew up plans for the permanent stadium.
Historical covenants dating back 100 years at the site had led to legal challenges against the development, but the Supreme Court ruled these would be no barrier to the work at a hearing on Tuesday.