RUSH Skatepark plans restart after Moreton Valence project comes to an end

RUSH Skatepark is making a fresh attempt to bring a new indoor skatepark to the Stroud area after abandoning plans for a site near Moreton Valence.

The charity behind the campaign has confirmed that the proposed project could not proceed because of circumstances surrounding the land. More than £50,000 had been spent trying to move the scheme forward, including money for planning, architectural work, surveys, professional fees and other work connected with the proposal.

RUSH Sports Community Trust CIO says it is now rebuilding the organisation, bringing new people into the project and looking again at how a replacement facility could be delivered. The charity has described the change as a “new chapter”, while warning that significant work remains before a new skatepark can become a reality.

Moreton Valence plans come to an end

Supporters had previously identified land near Moreton Valence as a possible location for a new RUSH facility. A fundraising campaign was established after the original skatepark closed, and by 2023 the money raised had passed £50,000. That funding was intended to help progress the planning process and the professional work needed to develop a new venue.

RUSH has now acknowledged that the Moreton Valence proposal has ended. The organisation said the expenditure covered the range of work required to advance the project, but that the circumstances connected with the land meant the plans ultimately could not move forward.

“More than £50,000 was invested into things such as planning, architectural work, surveys, professional fees and other work required to move the project forward.”

The charity has also apologised for failing to keep supporters sufficiently informed while the project was being developed. It recognised that people had donated money, backed the campaign and believed in its goal, and said they should have received clearer information about the proposal’s progress.

“We didn’t communicate enough. We understand why people have been frustrated. People donated, supported us and believed in what we were trying to achieve, and you deserved to know what was happening.”

As it starts again, RUSH has promised greater community involvement. Its stated plans include more regular updates, greater transparency and opportunities for supporters to have their say as the organisation considers possible routes to a new facility.

Why the original skatepark closed

The original RUSH Skatepark opened at Brimscombe Port in 2013. Founded by Jerry and Michelle Norman, it became a significant part of the local sporting scene and attracted riders from across the country.

The venue hosted major events, including the Scootfest World Championships, and was used by elite athletes. Among them was Charlotte Worthington, the Olympic BMX gold medallist.

RUSH closed its doors on August 29, 2021, after Stroud District Council’s planning committee unanimously approved proposals affecting units across the Brimscombe Port business park and industrial estate. The redevelopment plans included 150 new homes, work on the canal basin and associated highways infrastructure.

The former industrial site remains undeveloped, and the remains of the former RUSH building are still at Brimscombe Port. The closure followed years of uncertainty about the future of the site, which had been earmarked for redevelopment.

Search for a permanent replacement continues

After the closure, supporters formed a campaign to ensure that the RUSH legacy continued. Rush Sports Community Trust CIO was created as the charity behind the effort to establish a new venue.

The campaign was also driven by concern that young riders would lose access to a comparable indoor facility in the area. At its height, the Brimscombe Port skatepark provided a place for local riders as well as competitors and high-level athletes from farther afield.

Stroud District Council said it understood the importance of RUSH and had worked with the organisation in an effort to identify alternative premises. However, the end of the Moreton Valence proposal means that no replacement site, timetable, planning application or confirmed funding target has been announced in the supplied information.

Five years after the original skatepark closed, RUSH says the search for a permanent home is continuing. The organisation has not presented the latest announcement as a completed project or a confirmed development, but as a decision to rebuild and try again.

“We’re giving it another go.”

RUSH said it remains determined to find a way forward despite the setback and the work still required to deliver a new facility.

“RUSH isn’t over,” it said. “This is the next chapter.

For supporters, the next phase is expected to focus on rebuilding the organisation, widening involvement in the campaign and identifying a viable location after the Moreton Valence option failed.