Big decisions to be made

The beginning of 2025 is a time when some significant projects which will have a real impact on the future success of our local economy are reaching a critical moment, when tricky questions will be posed and clear answers required.

Bath Rugby and Bristol Airport are both proposing different developments which are certain to be controversial and a balance will have to be found when it comes to their pros and cons.

Initiative members have, in the past, regularly been supportive of the development of the new rugby stadium and the expansion of the airport, however, part of my role is to ensure changing circumstances are recognised and all views are represented, which is no easy task.

Let’s take the rugby stadium first. It’s been a long and complex journey, but the club must be applauded for their persistence and the exhaustive consultation process they have undertaken. This has now led to a fresh design for a stadium fit to provide a home in the centre of the City for what we all hope will be a successful team on the pitch and a long term viable business off it.

There are some people who are implacably opposed to any kind of stadium on the Recreation Ground and they won’t be persuaded by what the club are proposing, but there are very many more who are supportive, and at a recent meeting of the Initiative, our members were impressed by the fresh approach the club had taken to designing the stands, to reduce their impact in the World Heritage setting, but still providing a ground which would deliver for spectators, not to mention the many community groups who stand to benefit.

I suspect the proposals to expand the airport capacity from 12m to 15m passengers will give rise to even more heat than the rugby stadium. There is a section of the business community, including many of our members, who are enthusiastic about plans to further expand the airport, which include an extension to the runway which will allow longer haul flights to the Middle East and potentially the United States. On the other hand, there are those who are deeply concerned about surface access and the impacts of aviation emissions in general. They will doubtless put their arguments forcefully and it will be no easy matter to work out where the Initiative should stand.

My own view is that every individual with an opinion should let it be known to help inform the debate and assist those with the responsibility for making decisions about the future, and the stakes are high.