By Harry Mottram: After months of planning, speculation, protests and debates over whether Bath Rugby should or should not build a new stadium to replace the current rugby ground a final decision could be made very soon. A planning meeting on September 17th, 2025, at the Guildhall will see the plans scrutinised by the planning committee headed by Councillor Tim Ball with the expectation the plans will be given the green light although the Government’s Secretary for Local Government will have the final say.
A protest meeting was held earlier this month by Friends of the Recreation Ground and other groups including the Green Party’s councillors who object to a private company taking over more of the park for the sport of rugby union and potentially other events – and thus building on more of the green space.
On the other hand supporters of Bath Rugby have been voicing their opinions calling the protestors ‘NIMBYS’ and advocating the construction of a new stadium in an upgrade to give the city’s number one sport a venue fit for England’s premier team. Bath is without doubt at the moment the best club team in the country and supporters feel it is time to create a modern stadium to recognise the prestige it brings to the city.
In a statement posted online Bath Rugby sound positive and confident the decision will go their way. It reads:
Bath Rugby is delighted to receive confirmation that the Bath & North East Somerset Council (B&NES) Planning Committee meeting to determine our new stadium planning application will take place from 10am on Wednesday 17 September.
The Planning Committee will consider a report on the club’s application, which recommends that Councillors approve our plans.
There are no objections from statutory consultees, including UNESCO, Historic England, Natural England, the Environment Agency, and others to the Stadium for Bath application.
The proposals seek to rejuvenate the club’s historic home at The Rec (where the Club have played since 1894), to create a world-class venue that meets the needs of supporters, the Bath community, and other users, whilst also respecting the rich heritage of the city.
The planning application follows a robust and positive period of consultation and reflects valuable feedback from the public, key stakeholders, and B&NES. This includes more than 5,000 comments submitted by the general public, of which approximately 95% are in support of the development.
If the Planning Committee agree with the recommendations of the report and resolve to approve the club’s application (subject to a Section 106 legal agreement and relevant planning conditions), the application will then be referred to the Secretary of State, which is standard procedure for an application of this scale.
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