Where could Bath play their matches during construction at the Rec?

The Stadium for Bath vision poses a very important question... where will Bath Rugby play if and when their new home is being built? An exhibition taking place at the Guildhall until Saturday reveals the club have considered nine existing stadia for a groundshare and seven sites to build a temporary home. If planning permission is granted by Bath and North East Somerset Council next year, construction for a new 18,000 capacity permanent stadium on the Rec would start during the 2019/20 season. The current aim is for it to be open for use in September, 2021. Here are the temporary options the club have been looking at...

Ground share

Cardiff Arms Park: Home of Cardiff Blues and Cardiff RFC, artificial pitch, 55 miles from the Rec, 12,125 capacity Rodney Parade: Home of the Dragons, Newport RFC and Newport County FC, 40 miiles from the Rec, 8,500 capacity The Memorial Stadium (below): Home of Bristol Rovers, 18 miles from the Rec, 12,300 capacity Cardiff City Stadium: Home of Cardiff City, 57 miles from the Rec, 33,280 capacity The County Ground: Home of Swindon Town, 37 miles from the Rec, 16,728 capacity Ashton Gate: Home of Bristol City and Bristol Bears, 16 miles from the Rec, 27,000 capacity Kingsholm: Home of Gloucester Rugby, 40 miles from the Rec, 16,115 capacity Huish Park: Home of Yeovil Town, 40 miles from the Rec, 9,565 capacity The Madejski Stadium: Home of Reading FC and London Irish, 75 miles from the Rec, 24,161 capacity A Stadium for Bath spokeswoman said: “Discussions have been held with a number of permanent stadium owner/operators. “Detailed analysis has been undertaken on the available options, considering multiple factors including availability, security of tenure, transport and access, and impact on supporters. It was concluded that none of these options was viable.”

Temporary stadium

Building a temporary stadium in or near Bath with a capacity of 14,500, within 10 miles of the city centre, is the aim. Bath Racecourse (above), Lansdown Fields, Lambridge training ground, St John’s Field at the University of Bath, Sulis Club, Kingswood School and building a temporary stadium on the East side of the Rec have all been considered. A Stadium for Bath spokeswoman said: “We have assessed several sites in detail and have held discussions with land owners. “The preferred option, taking into account of all considerations, including infrastructure, access and planning is the Rec.” To mitigate the impact on nearby residents, Stadium for Bath says it would reroute deliveries and primary access to the South of the Rec, “mitigate” pre and post-match activity, particularly music and noise, and work with local residents on any other ways to alleviate issues. If Bath Rugby were to play in a temporary stadium on another part of the Rec it would have to be approved by Bath Recreation Ltd the charitable body which is the landlord - and they would have to rent that land from them too.