Combe Down Rugby Club has secured a massive £31,660 funding boost to help tackle improvements to its grounds and benefit the wider community and a local school.
Bath and North East Somerset Council together with Bath City Forum have made the money available for improvements that will generate strong community links with new and existing residents.
It will fund the installation of a new terram (matted plastic) footpath with guard rail and lighting bollards that will link the club’s ground to Mulberry Park Primary School Sports Pitch.
Additionally it will pay for a new boiler, improvements to changing rooms and the relining of the existing car park.
The money has been allocated from the council’s Bath Neighbourhood Portion of the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and it was allocated to the club by the forum, which advises on how best to spend CIL receipts for the benefit of local people.
Councillor Colin Blackburn, Chair of Bath City Forum, said: “We are pleased to be able to provide support to community facilities in Combe Down. The funding for infrastructure improvements will allow the club to deliver a range of activities, as well as create safe access to facilities which will allow old and new members of the community to integrate.”
John O’Shea, Combe Down RFC committee, said: “We’ve been working hard over the last few years to liaise with everyone involved in the new Mulberry Park development, including the school, the Hub and the developers, to ensure that Combe Down RFC is seen as an integral part of the new community, just as it has been part of the existing community for more than 100 years. Our thanks go to Councillor Bob Goodman for his encouragement and support of Combe Down RFC.
“We’re delighted that Bath City Forum has been able to support us in planning new facilities that will help access between ourselves and Mulberry Park, and we look forward to welcoming many new members of the club – whether for senior, junior or mini rugby, for skittles, for pool or as social members.
“Our particular thanks to Mulberry Park School for working closely with us and allowing us access to their stunning new all-weather pitch, which many of our players have enjoyed using for rugby training this season.”
Councillor Bob Goodman, Cabinet member for Development and Neighbourhoods, said: “This is a fantastic example of how the Bath Neighbourhood Portion of the Community Infrastructure Levy is enabling investment for the improvement of existing facilities in Combe Down area. The upgrade to the Rugby Club provides for the existing residents and the 700 new homes that are being developed at Mulberry Park.”
