Wasps confident in Henley plan approval

WASPS remain confident they will be moving into a new training facility ahead of next season.

Plans have been submitted to Stratford-on-Avon District Council’s planning and building department for works to be carried out at the Warwickshire College Group site in Henley-in-Arden.

Wasps placed a deposit to secure the venue in October 2019, with a view to being in it ahead of the 2020/21 season.

“Plans have been submitted a while ago but with any plans it has to go to the correct planning officer, they have to look at everything, come back and some of the things that they can push back on can be very minor, “explained chief executive (sport) Stephen Vaughan.

“It could literally be the colour of brick that you’re going to use to make sure it looks the same colour as that or have you taken due care and attention about the drainage, or have we checked that there aren’t any newts in a pond. Genuinely these are the conversations that we’re having at the moment. So it’s down to the detail at the moment.”

The Henley plans have been met with protests by users of the current facilities along with local residents. The ‘Henley Sports Centre Alliance’ was formed with a petition to save it from being purchased by Wasps attracting more than 2,700 signatures.

Vaughan added: “We have reached out to a number of organisations around there already, I’m meeting with three of the biggest schools around that area to see what we can do in the community.

“We’re going to be looking at offering transportation to the games from Henley and doing open days for the community and all of that piece as well.

“It’s quite a big project, so we’re trying to do that at the same time as a lot of other things at the moment but it’s all going to plan.”