As you are aware, for much of 2017, we have been listening to the people that live and work here in Bath as well as you, our core supporters. This is a complex project, of huge importance to all involved and we believe that we will get it right if we all work together.

This is the most robust ‘pre-design’ consultation process the Club has undertaken regarding redevelopment at the Rec and we are proud to share the findings with you.

I want to thank you for your support over this time and those of you that have taken time to contribute to this phase. The results are of huge value to us as we move into the design process.

Our ambition has always been to create the most incredible place in the world to watch rugby, and we continue to work hard on delivering this. We want to retain everything that is so special about rugby at the Rec, whilst also providing the best possible facilities for you to enjoy matchdays.

It is also clear that this project is not just about rugby - there is a unique opportunity to create a destination which revitalises the riverside, which benefits and enhances the community and encourages healthier living through accessible and inclusive sporting participation.

Rugby is at the core of this project, but it is also about riverside regeneration and social legacy, and it is clear that this is a project of significance for the City of Bath and our community.

For these reasons we have created a standalone project identity – Stadium for Bath – which brings together Bath Rugby, Bath Rugby Foundation and Arena 1865. Stadium for Bath is about creating a new home for Bath Rugby and an amazing place to watch and enjoy rugby, it is about creating a profoundly positive social legacy for the City of Bath and our community, and it is about providing a brilliant design solution for this unique location.

You can find out more via our dedicated project website www.stadiumforbath.com and also download ‘Exploring the Opportunity’ – the formal document which includes the findings from the pre-design listening phase, in addition to the overall vision for redevelopment; consideration of the unique challenges of the site; thoughts on opportunities offered by redevelopment and the key parameters for the appointment of a lead architect and design team.

We believe there is an opportunity to create something exceptional in the heart of Bath, something which we can all be a part of and which we can all be incredibly proud of.

Thank you again for your continued support and I look forward to contacting you again in the New Year with news of the appointment of a lead architect and design team.

Tarquin McDonald

Chief Executive
Bath Rugby

*Image courtesy of James Markham.

Stadium Development Update from Tarquin McDonald

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