Bath Rugby’s East Stand at the Recreation Ground will not be taken down this summer due to the club’s successful season and environmental concerns. Typically, the stand is removed each summer to free up the space outside of the rugby season, but this year, the club has been granted permission to keep it up due to the logistical and environmental impact of its removal and reassembly.
The decision was made at a meeting of Bath and North East Somerset Council’s planning committee, where objections to the stand’s ongoing presence were raised, citing the obstruction of the view and the impact on the city’s World Heritage Listing. However, supporters of the club’s proposal highlighted the stand’s community and environmental benefits, such as hosting various events and reducing construction-related traffic and carbon emissions.
The stand, often described as “ugly,” has generated mixed opinions, with some voicing frustration over the perceived convenience-driven nature of the decision to allow it to remain standing. The financial implications of dismantling and reassembling the stand also played a significant role in the council’s decision, as the club is in the process of seeking planning permission for a permanent stadium to avoid the annual costs associated with the temporary removal of the stand.
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Ultimately, the council’s declaration of a climate emergency factored into the decision, with the impact of construction-related movements and carbon emissions being weighed against the inconvenience and aesthetic concerns raised by the stand’s opponents. The council voted to permit the stand to stay up over the summer, taking into consideration both the club’s success and the environmental considerations.