Bath Rugby has been awarded planning permission for the first phase of a scheme to transform Farleigh House, near Farleigh Hungerford, into a new headquarters for the club.

The property will undergo an extensive refurbishment to accommodate all of the club's staff, with the chapel to be converted in a gym and work set to start on the construction of a training pitch. Bath Rugby chief executive Nick Blofeld said: "This will now enable us to move the admin staff out to Farleigh over the next few weeks and then hopefully the first team squad in early October.

"Farleigh House is a real statement of intent for the Club, and to have an elite training facility and everyone in one location will be a big step forward. It will be fantastic to finally be able to start using it as the Bath Rugby HQ."