PLANS to demolish an ‘outdated’ clubhouse in the Lake District and build a replacement in a bid to secure the club’s future have been given the green light.

The Lake District National Park Authority has approved proposals from Keswick Rugby Club to knock down the old clubhouse at Davidson Park and construct a new facility to make the club more resilient to flooding.

The proposed clubhouse would consist of a two-storey flood resilient building that would contain changing facilities, bar/function space and a gym. Other proposals include the replacement of the squash courts with ‘much needed’ extra car parking spaces for the town.

Planning documents state: “This application proposes a comprehensive re-development of a site blighted by a major flooding issue over a considerable time period that aims to provide a much improved and enhanced facility for the long-term future use by a long-established rugby club as well as the greater Keswick community.”

In recent years there have been ‘increased demand’ for the club’s facilities with men's, women's, boys and girls teams seeing a rise in membership. The girl’s team has seen membership rise from nine in 2013 to 111 in 2023 according to planning documents.

The planning statement says the proposed development will provide ‘suitable’ changing facilities to ‘meet or exceed’ current standards for players of all age and gender.

The design, access and heritage statement adds: “The increased demands placed upon the clubhouse due to the growth of rugby at Keswick Rugby Club and the needs of the local community, in terms of corporate room hire for various functions have resulted in the final design being proposed.

“The purpose and needs of the end users has always been at the forefront of the design principles. The final design has created the floorspace, facilities and the flexibility of space required, which meets the aims and objectives of the rugby clubs needs and future aspirations for the clubhouse and local community as a whole.”

Keswick Rugby Club site was established in 1958 and has suffered for many years from ‘significant flood damage’.  The proposed raised design of the clubhouse seeks to prevent future flooding of the facility.

The Lake District National Park approved the planning application on January 30.