The glaring omission from the prospectus was a lack of pictures or impressions of what the new development would look like, but as Chief Executive Bob Calleja explained, this prospectus was not that far advanced.

"We understand that people are very keen to see visuals, but I must stress that we are not yet in a position to develop a planning application, and so these drawings are simply a basis for debate and discussion as to the optimum way forward," he said in a statement on Monday.

"They have been published to tie in with the public consultation that is being conducted by Jeff Bishop, and I would urge people to contribute to this exercise which is so important to the outcome of all these deliberations.

"While these are outlines only, and are obviously dependent on the outcome of the Strategic Review, we know that they are viable and deliverable.

"They should however allay any concerns that people might have had over the height of the stands and the amount of space we require, which as can be seen would not preclude any current activity.

"In fact, in this example, to achieve a capacity of 15,000 requires Bath Rugby’s total footprint to be extended by around 5 per cent, implying an increase of the proportion of the total charitable land that the arena occupies from approximately 28 per cent to 29.5 per cent.

"These plans categorically do not make any call on Council funding, and they could be completed by September 2010, which is the deadline by which we aim to meet new criteria set by Premier Rugby.

"If the Strategic Review indicates that we can vary our lease, we will then hold a full public consultation on the design options before making any planning application."

Calleja also said in the statement that the propectus should not be viewed as a sign that development will go ahead for certain.

"As a key stakeholder in the Recreation Ground, we have produced a detailed prospectus so that, when people are consulted by the Council on future options for the Recreation Ground, they understand exactly what our aspirations are," he said.

"But until the Strategic Review is complete, and a decision is made regarding the principle of an enhanced and extended arena, these can be no more than aspirations.

"Our ambition is to enhance and expand Bath Rugby’s facilities in such a way that would enable the club to remain on the Rec and to plan, with certainty, for its future.

"We are aware that there is a very wide range of views on the future of the Rec. Very few people are actively trying to remove Bath Rugby from the Rec.

"But, the reality for us is that maintaining the status quo is not an option. We are a professional sports club and business, and we run a charitable community foundation.

"If we do not extend and enhance our facilities we will lose our ability to compete and, sooner or later, slip out of the top flight.

"If that happens then a whole range of economic and social benefits will be permanently lost to Bath. I firmly believe that relocation of Bath Rugby would be a far more radical step than extension of the existing arena."

The key principles underpinning Bath’s plans are also outlined in the prospectus, and make publicly clear the intentions of the club to use the ground as an outlet for community activities as well as for rugby purposes.

"Any changes to the current design of the area used by Bath Rugby would be in keeping with the local area and the status of Bath as a World Heritage City," read the statement.

"The overall proposed development on the Rec and our future plans will continue to support the wider community and not just the rugby-attending section of the community.

"Bath Rugby is not seeking to dominate the whole of the Rec and will continue to take into account the needs of all users. Any proposed development should not have an adverse impact on how any other tenants use their space. "

It appears that the prospectus is also a public declaration of an offer of compromised intent by the club, with Calleja’s sign-off in the statement a plea to open more discussion on the subject.

"I sincerely hope that the document, which can be downloaded from our website, or collected from Bath Rugby’s offices, makes our position clear and helps to move the debate forward," he said.

"There is a feedback form at the back of our prospectus - and I welcome your questions and your responses to our ideas.

"The document is not set in stone, and we will publish updates as and when there are developments or changes in circumstances.

"My door is always open - whether you are a local resident, a rugby supporter, an interest group or other stakeholder in the Recreation Ground."

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