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93-587: The Recreation Ground (commonly the Rec ) is a large open space in the centre of Bath , England , next to the River Avon , which is available to be used by permission from the Recreation Ground Trust for recreational purposes by the public at large but particularly the people of Bath and surrounding areas. About a quarter of the Rec is leased to Bath Rugby during the rugby union season as

186-402: A Segway , etc. Public space, as a term and as a concept in design, is volatile. There is much conversation around what constitutes public space, what role it plays, and how design should approach and deal with it. Historically, public space in the west has been limited to town centres, plazas, church squares, i.e. nearly always engineered around a central monument, which informs the program of

279-573: A cricket pavilion was started on the north side of the ground. The first Bath rugby matches were also played on the ground in 1894. Three years later, the ground hosted its maiden first-class cricket match, with Somerset County Cricket Club hosting the Gentlemen of Philadelphia as part of the Bath Cricket Festival. The company's lease was extended for a further 21 years in 1908, at a rent of £100 per year. Fourteen years later,

372-512: A shopping center may be declared a public place and may be open when the shops are closed. Similarly for halls, railway platforms and waiting rooms of public transport ; sometimes a travelling ticket is required. A public library is a public place. A rest stop or truck stop is a public space. For these "semi-public" spaces stricter rules may apply than outside, e.g. regarding dress code , trading , begging , advertising , photography , propaganda , riding rollerskates , skateboards ,

465-592: A 92-year-old poppy seller who allegedly committed suicide due to overwhelming requests for donations from charities, sparked widespread public fear and media attention across England and Wales. This scandal prompted a review of the self-regulation of fundraising practices in England and Wales, as well as Scotland, subsequently leading to the introduction of self-regulatory reforms in both jurisdictions. In 2021, The Guardian reported that Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden "had instructed officials to ensure candidates for

558-611: A Pavilion, for a term of 25 years. Six years later the lease was surrendered, and a new 50-year lease was granted. In the same year, the Grand Stand was replaced with a new West Stand. This was significantly bomb-damaged during the Second World War. Rebuilding of the stand, at a cost in excess of £12,000, was met by the War Damage Commission in 1953–54. The 'Club Room' building was erected in 1954, to

651-674: A charity in Scotland and Northern Ireland. Some charities are not subject to regulation by or registration with the Charity Commission, because they are already regulated by another body, and are known as exempt charities . Most exempt charities are listed in Schedule 3 to the Charities Act 2011 , but some charities are made exempt by other acts. However exempt charities must still comply with charity law and may approach

744-402: A completely inclusive 'space of democracy'." This sense of flux and change, informs how contemporary public art has evolved. Temporal art in public spaces has been a long established practice. But the presence of public art has become increasingly prevalent and important within our contemporary cities. Temporal public art is so important because of its ability to respond to, reflect, and explore

837-462: A draft Scheme to correct the two errors in the use of the charitable land. The Leisure Centre use is corrected by the change in the objects of the Charity to allow indoor activities. The use by the rugby ground is to be corrected by a land swap with land nearly double the size of the Rec rugby ground. The Charity Commission invited representations to their draft scheme within 28 days. In February 2013

930-478: A fundraising preference service. This service allows the public to control how charities contact them. The commission carries out general monitoring of charities as part of its regular casework. In serious cases of abuse and regulatory concern, the commission has powers outlined in the Charities Acts to conduct statutory investigations. Before taking the decision to open a statutory inquiry , it will take

1023-438: A heavy focus has been turned onto the city as needing to discover new and inspired ways to re-use, re-establish and re-invent the city, in step with an invigorated interest in rejuvenating our cities for a sustainable future. Contemporary design has become obsessed with the need to save the modern city from an industrialized, commercialized, urban pit of a death bed. In some cases, dance, music and other cultural events organised by

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1116-436: A larger rugby ground. The Charity Commission responded that for any such development to proceed they would need to be fully satisfied that any detriment arising to the Rec's charitable objectives from the proposal would be significantly outweighed by benefits. Various detailed development proposals were made, but these could not satisfy the Charity Commission's legal need to protect the Rec's charitable objectives. In June 2009

1209-551: A manner that will further its charitable objects. The full judgement can be read here The Lower Tribunal were tasked to revise the scheme which was agreed on 14 December 2016. In essence the new scheme is as follows: In October 2020 a High Court Judge in the Chancery Division declared that the 1922 restrictive covenant on the land known as the Recreation Ground was enforceable by the owners of properties in

1302-536: A new 75-year lease in 1973. In 1974, both the Recreation Ground and the North Parade Land were transferred to Bath City Council, who erected a Sports and Leisure Centre on the south side in 1975. In 1995, Bath F.C. were granted a further 75-year lease. Doubts over the legal effect of the 1956 Conveyance were settled in 2002, when the High Court declared the land a charitable trust , with the council as

1395-477: A private—that is, non-public—forum, the government can control one's speech to a much greater degree; for instance, protesting one's objection to medicare reform will not be tolerated in the gallery of the United States Senate. This is not to say that the government can control what one says in their own home or to others; it can only control government property in this way. The concept of

1488-512: A public forum is not limited to physical space or public property, for example, a newspaper might be considered a public forum, but see forum in the legal sense as the term has a specific meaning in United States law. Parks, malls, beaches, waiting rooms, etc., may be closed at night. As this does not exclude any specific group, it is generally not considered a restriction on public use. Entry to public parks cannot be restricted based upon

1581-669: A scheme allowing the Rugby Club to develop the rugby ground on the Rec and that the Trust will have use of land previously used for training by the Rugby Club at Lambridge for charitable use. The Scheme made by the Charity Commission and the decision document from the Reviewing Officer of the Charity Commission. On 27 March 2014 three appeal judges of The First-Tier Tribunal (Charity) allowed the Scheme with amendments. As regards

1674-507: A sports ground capable of holding 14,500 people. During the summer the rugby ground's temporary East Stand is removed to make way for cricket on a larger pitch. This cricket pitch is used for local contests and was used by Somerset County Cricket Club until 2011. Parts of the eastern area of the Rec are used by Bath Hockey Club, Bath Croquet Club, Bath Drama Club, Bath Quidditch Club and for some tennis courts. Pitches are available for amateur sports such as Football, Volleyball and Lacrosse. There

1767-410: A structure for the charity that will impact aspect such as who runs the charity and how does the charity is run. Subsequently, the creation of a governing document that explain how the charity is run is required. Finally, an electronic application must be completed if the charity’s income is at £5,000 per year, or it is a charitable incorporated organisation (CIO). There are different rules for creating

1860-405: A theatrical component or 'space of appearance' that is central to the functioning of a democratic space. A privately owned public space , also known as a privately owned public open space (POPOS) , is a public space that is open to the public, but owned by a private entity, typically a commercial property developer . Conversion of publicly owned public spaces to privately owned public spaces

1953-467: A user's residence. In some cultures, there is no expectation of privacy in a public space, however civil inattention is a process whereby individuals are able to maintain their privacy within a crowd. Public space is commonly shared and created for open usage throughout the community, whereas private space is owned by individuals or corporations. The area is built for a range of various types of recreation and entertainment. Limitations are imposed in

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2046-604: Is a cricket pavilion at the William Street entrance to the ground. The council-run Sports and Leisure Centre is located on the southern edge of the Rec, accessed via North Parade . In former years the Rec was subject to periodic flooding from the River Avon, but a flood alleviation scheme in the 1960s improved the flow of the river. However, the Rec remains part of the floodplain at risk of occasional flooding. The ground can still get very boggy after heavy rains. In

2139-519: Is a significant step and the Rugby Club can now pursue the development subject to planning permission but knowing that no legal challenge other than planning can be made. Commenting on the ruling Bath Rugby CEO, Tarquin MacDonald stated: "We are delighted with the ruling and can now focus on bringing forward revised proposals for a new stadium. This is important for the club and the city. Redevelopment will create new jobs, boost visitor spends, enhance

2232-470: Is an element of the larger concept of social space. Public spaces have often been valued as democratic spaces of congregation and political participation, where groups can vocalize their rights. Commons are early examples of public space. Malls, regardless of private ownership percentage, are examples of 'public space' since no fees or paid tickets are required for entry. However, most indoor shopping malls and strip malls are private property and subject to

2325-527: Is both efficient and engaging for its users. Space design is commonly employed in a variety of settings, including homes, offices, restaurants, and retail stores, to name a few. One of the primary goals of space design is to create an environment that promotes positive emotional responses in its occupants. Studies have shown that people have a natural inclination towards certain types of spaces, such as those with natural lighting, open layouts, and comfortable seating. Another important consideration in space design

2418-615: Is considered unmanageable by public agencies. Corporate sponsorship of public leisure areas is ubiquitous, giving open space to the public in exchange for higher air rights . This facilitates the construction of taller buildings with private parks. In one of the newer U.S. incarnations of the private-public partnership, the business improvement district (BID), private organizations are allowed to tax local businesses and retail establishments so that they might provide special private services such as policing and increased surveillance, trash removal, or street renovation, all of which once fell under

2511-547: Is in the African-American neighbourhood, Baldwin Hills, Los Angeles . Here, a parking lot has evolved into a scene of intense commercial and social activity. Locals gather here to meet and socialise, sell and consume goods. The example has been used to illustrate that the historical ideal of fixed public space around a monument is not viable for a contemporary diverse social range as "no single physical space can represent

2604-651: Is often referred to as the "third place" concept, which describes public locales of social interaction that provide psychological comfort and emotional support. Charity Commission The Charity Commission for England and Wales is a non-ministerial department of His Majesty's Government that regulates registered charities in England and Wales and maintains the Central Register of Charities . Its counterparts in Scotland and Northern Ireland are

2697-489: Is referred to as the privatization of public space, and is a common result of urban redevelopment . Beginning roughly in the 1960s, the privatization of public space (especially in urban centers) has faced criticism from citizen groups such as the Open Spaces Society . Private-public partnerships have taken significant control of public parks and playgrounds through conservancy groups set up to manage what

2790-401: Is still the criterion used. In March 2007 the council trustee of the Rec received a strategic review showing support for the development of the ground by 64% of respondents to a poll (44% supporting development on the current site of the ground). The council trustee wished to proceed with a development proposal that would allow Bath Rugby Club to lease additional land, to permit the provision of

2883-415: Is the concept of flow, or the ease with which people can move through a space. This involves designing spaces that are intuitive and free from obstructions, allowing users to navigate them without feeling frustrated or disoriented. One crucial aspect of space design is the creation of a welcoming and inclusive environment that satisfies people's social and emotional needs outside of their home and work. This

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2976-521: The Charitable Trusts Act 1853 . There had been several attempts at reforming charities before that which had been opposed by various interest groups including the church, the courts, the companies, and the universities. The power of the commission was strengthened by amendments to the act in 1855, 1860, and 1862. The Charity Commission was substantially reconstituted by the Charities Act 1960 ( 8 & 9 Eliz. 2 . c. 58), which replaced

3069-482: The National Coal Board refused to pay for the work. It also proposed asking parents 'exactly how close were you to your child?'; those found not to have been close to their children would not be compensated. The Charities Act 2006 established its current structure and name. As of 31 March 2015 the commission had 288 employees and 19 agency staff in post. The Olive Cooke case, involving

3162-658: The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland . Orlando Fraser succeeded interim chair, Ian Karet, who succeeded Baroness Stowell of Beeston . The commission has four sites in London , Taunton , Liverpool and Newport . Its website lists the latest annual reports submitted by charities in England and Wales. During the financial year 2022–2023,

3255-574: The Oglethorpe Plan created a unique design in which a public square was created for every ward of forty residential lots and four civic or commercial lots. The design has been preserved in the Savannah historic district . Jürgen Habermas ' concept of the public sphere links its emergence with the development of democracy. A good example of this is the New Deal projects. The New Deal

3348-582: The Real Friends of the Rec was formed in December 2008 to lobby for the building of an all purpose sports and cultural arena at the Rec. They hope to encourage Somerset County Cricket Club and other spectator sports to utilise a new stadium throughout the year, which would increase income and year-round usage. The land swap concept had been supported by the Real Friends of the Rec since the idea

3441-888: The Voluntary and Community Unit of the Department for Social Development , part of the Northern Ireland Executive . The Charities Act 2006 requires the Commission to be operationally independent of ministerial influence or control. Members of the commission, including the chair, are appointed by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport . The Finance Act 2010 extended charitable tax benefits (for example Gift Aid ) to charities within EU member states, Norway and Iceland, rather than those just inside

3534-463: The 2010/2011 season which together with changes to other seating allowed capacity to increase to 12,300. In December 2010 the Trustees of the Recreation Ground announced that the Charity Commission "have stated that they believe that the Trust is at a point where it is ready to apply for a new scheme which must be done by 31st March 2011". They also made clear that consultations should take place with

3627-533: The Charitable Trusts Acts (1853-1891). This introduced new duties to determine charitable status, and to maintain a public register of charities. The commission was criticised after the Aberfan disaster in 1966 for its intransigence and decisions on what it allowed money from the disaster fund to be spent on. It sanctioned the use of £150,000 to remove remaining spoil tips from the area after

3720-664: The Charity Commission again granted permission for the club to continue to use temporary spectator seating on charity land for the 2009/2010 season which together with changes to other seating allowed capacity to increase to 11,700. In November 2009 the new chief executive of Bath Rugby, Nick Blofeld, stated the club was seeking a mostly seated stadium for 20,000, with potential for future expansion, containing "restaurants and cafés, hospitality suites, conference facilities and good food and beverage outlets and other potential retail outlets." The club no longer ruled out other sites within Bath, and

3813-404: The Charity Commission chair role were "tested" on how they would use the watchdog's powers to rebalance charities by "refocusing" them on their founding missions", in response to what he described as "a worrying trend in some charities that appear to have been hijacked by a vocal minority seeking to burnish their woke credentials." Orlando Fraser was appointed as chair of the Charity Commission by

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3906-585: The Charity Commission for advice. Some charities are 'excepted' from charity registration. This means they do not have to register or submit annual returns, but are in all other respects subject to regulation by the Charity Commission. A charity is excepted if its income is £100,000 or less and it is in one of the following groups: churches and chapels belonging to certain Christian denominations (until 2031); charities that provide premises for some types of schools; Scout and Guide groups; charitable service funds of

3999-511: The Charity Commission stated that they had received 1,868 representations of which 244 objected to the Scheme allowing the land swap. The Charity Commission stated that they needed to study all the representations before a final decision was expected in April 2013. In opposition to the scheme, local resident Jack Sparrow lodged an application to have the Recreation Ground declared a Town Green. The council received 7 objections and 18 representations for

4092-581: The Charity Commission. Consequently, in February 2007 the Charity Commission made a protective order vesting the Rec in entirety to the Official Custodian for Charities while the council conducts a delayed strategic review, and new plans are agreed and implemented. The Rec was conveyed for a sum of £11,155 to the City of Bath Corporation in 1956 by the Bath and County Recreation Ground Company, when

4185-437: The Commission regulated £88   billion of charity income and £85   billion of charity spend. To establish a charity, an organisation must first find at least three trustees whom will be responsible for the general control and management of the administration of the charity. The organisation needs to have a charitable purpose that helps the public. Afterwards, the administration must select an official name and decide on

4278-546: The Leisure Centre to remain on open space. It was announced in the Western Daily Press on 17 August 2012 that "The Charity Commission has agreed in principle to the plans for a land-swap deal, which would allow the club to expand its presence on the city centre site in exchange for its training ground at Lambridge effectively becoming publicly owned." On 30 November 2012 the Charity Commission published

4371-464: The Rec for professional rugby appeared to be inconsistent with the trusts of the Charity. Since then the Charity Commission has made annual orders authorising the charity to continue the lease to the rugby club of additional land required for premiership rugby while a permanent solution is sought. Bath Rugby hold a long running lease to the ground of the old "Flowerpot Stand", but this is not sufficient for professional rugby. In 1975 Bath City Council,

4464-670: The Rec in 1922. The Trust formed in 2002 is now called the Bath Recreation Limited and is limited by guarantee and registered at Companies House in April 2017. In 2006 the Rugby Football Union (RFU) stated that by 2010 all Premiership rugby clubs would need a spectator capacity of at least 15,000, at a time when the Rec's capacity was 10,300. However, the Professional Game Board reduced the minimum capacity required to 10,000 and this

4557-436: The Rec. In September 2023, a planning application was submitted for an 18,000 seat rugby stadium with ancillary conference, function and banqueting space. Friends of the Rec raised concerns that the height and scale of this construction would destroy some iconic views of Bath's townscape enjoyed by local residents and many tourists, thus threatening the status of Bath as the only UNESCO Heritage town or city in England. This view

4650-407: The Rugby Club they were limited to the actual footprint they currently use. This is smaller than they wanted but still could be enough for a 16k arena development. The club has stated that they will press on with their plans. The Judgement in full. The new Trustee Board of the Recreation Ground Trust (RGT) agreed at their meeting on 7 April 2014 to appeal the judgement. The plans to temporarily increase

4743-675: The Secretary of State on a three-year term commencing from 25 April 2022. This appointment was not without controversy, including the refusal of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sports Committee to endorse the appointment. Prior to restructuring in 2006, the equivalent of the Chair was the Chief Charity Commissioner. From 2006 the role of chief charity commissioner was replaced with those of chair and chief executive of

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4836-742: The UK. In 2016, following the Olive Cooke scandal, the British fundraising regulatory landscape underwent a review, leading to the establishment of the Fundraising Regulator. The Fundraising Regulator is an independent oversight body without statutory authority. It serves as the regulatory authority for charitable fundraising, responsible for defining and promoting fundraising standards. Additionally, it investigates cases, addresses public complaints related to fundraising practices, and operates

4929-410: The United States the right of the people to engage in speech and assembly in public places may not be unreasonably restricted by the federal or state government. The government cannot usually limit one's speech beyond what is reasonable in a public space, which is considered to be a public forum (that is, screaming epithets at passers-by can be stopped; proselytizing one's religion probably cannot). In

5022-409: The approach set out in its Regulatory and Risk framework. The commission, therefore, began around 2007 to carry out an intermediate form of action described as regulatory compliance investigations. In 2010 it opened over 140 of these cases, compared to just three full statutory investigations. However, the legality of these actions was debatable as they lacked a statutory basis . A high-profile example

5115-440: The armed forces; and students' unions . Registration of a charity in England and Wales does not endow that status elsewhere, thus further registration has to be made before operating in Scotland or Northern Ireland. Charities in Scotland are regulated by the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator . In Northern Ireland the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland was established in 2009 to replace earlier regulation by

5208-434: The beneficiaries. In January 2011 the trust delayed the consultation because of "unexpected details that need to be resolved". Negotiations about a possible land swap with Bath Rugby's training facilities at Lambridge are taking place. The Recreation Ground Trustees held a meeting on 13 April 2011 and agreed to launch the consultation document proposing to put forward a Scheme to the Charity Commission. The scheme consulted on

5301-588: The capacity of the Rec by nearly 2,000 seats and upgrade the facilities ahead of Bath Rugby's 150th anniversary, were approved on 30 July 2014. On 30 July 2015 the Trustee Board was successful in their appeal to the Upper Tribunal in a case held at the Royal Courts of Justice on 18 May 2015. In essence this judgement allows the Trustees to manage the Recreation Ground for the public at large in

5394-527: The company recognised that it could no longer profitably run the Rec. The Rec was transferred under various conditions that created the Charitable Trust status. Additionally earlier conditions from the 1922 transfer from Francis William Forester to the company, preventing any building on the Rec for trade or business that could disturb the neighbourhood, were passed onto the Trust. The company had been formed in 1894, but only obtained full ownership of

5487-467: The conclusion that any 1 of the 8 defendants could enforce the restrictive covenant. The court of appeal disagreed, deciding instead that there must be a ‘sufficient indication’ of the land intended under the covenant. They stated that the words ‘adjoining land or the neighbourhood’ were neither sufficient, nor could they be construed in the artificial way that the Judge above had done. The full judgement This

5580-465: The consciousness of the arbitrary nature of assigned cultural meanings and by the increasingly important role that consumption of goods and services plays in the formation of individual identity." Modern architectural critics have lamented on the 'narrative of loss' within the public sphere. That is, modern society has withdrawn from public life that used to inform city centres. Political and social needs, and forums for expression, can now be accessed from

5673-410: The context which it inhabits. Patricia Phillips describes the "social desire for an art that is contemporary and timely, that responds to and reflects its temporal and circumstantial context." Public art is an arena for investigation, exploration and articulation of the dense and diverse public landscape. Public art asks its audience to re-imagine, re-experience, re-view and re-live. In the design field,

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5766-456: The control of public funds. A broader meaning of public space or place includes also places where everybody can come if they pay, like a café , train , or movie theater . A shop is an example of what is intermediate between the two meanings: everybody can enter and look around without obligation to buy, but activities unrelated to the purpose of the shop are at the discretion of the proprietor. The halls and streets (including skyways ) in

5859-772: The early part of the 1890s, the land on which the Recreation Ground now lies as well as the North Parade land were part of the Bathwick Estate, which was owned by the Forester family. In 1894, a lease was granted to the Directors of The Bath and County Recreation Ground Company Limited by Captain G W Forester. This lease allowed work to be carried out on the land which would make it suitable for cricket matches, lawn tennis and archery tournaments, football matches and all other outdoor sports. As part of this work,

5952-582: The exclusions that are part of public space, it can nonetheless be conceived of as a site where democracy becomes possible. Geographer Don Mitchell has written extensively on the topic of public space and its relation to democracy, employing Henri Lefebvre 's notion of the right to the city in articulating his argument. While democracy and public space do not entirely coincide, it is the potential of their intersection that becomes politically important. Other geographers like Gill Valentine have focused on performativity and visibility in public spaces, which brings

6045-530: The home. This sentiment is reflected in Michael Sorkin's and Mike Davis' declaration of "the end of public space" and the "destruction of any truly democratic urban spaces." Another side of the debate, however, argues that it is people who apply meaning to public space, wherever it may be. It has been suggested that the concepts of public, space, democracy, and citizenship are being redefined by people through lived experience. Discussion has surfaced around

6138-424: The idea that, historically, public space has been inherently contradictory in the way that it has always been exclusive in who has been able to participate. This has caused the "counterpublics", as identified by Nancy Fraser, to establish their own public spaces to respond to their own concerns. These spaces are in constant flux, and in response, its users restructure and reinterpret physical space. An example of this

6231-399: The land was conveyed to The Bath and County Recreation Ground Company Limited for £6,050. The company then conveyed the North Parade Land, including a building which was used as an ice skating rink, to Bath Artcraft Limited for £2,500. A new lease was granted to Bath F.C. in 1927, allowing them the use of the land on the west side of ground, along with a Grand Stand, a New (North) Stand and

6324-445: The local community have been crucial in the process of revitalisation of some decayed public spaces. Contemporary perception of public space has now branched and grown into a multitude of non-traditional sites with a variety of programs in mind. It is for this reason that the way in which design deals with public space as a discipline, has become such a diverse and indefinable field. Iris Aravot puts forward an interesting approach to

6417-491: The material time the public have or are permitted to have access, whether on payment or otherwise. If Members of the public had no right whatsoever to distribute leaflets or engage in other expressive activity on government-owned property...then there would be little if any opportunity to exercise their rights of freedom of expression. Supreme Court of Canada , defending right to poster on public utility poles and hand out leaflets in public government-owned buildings In

6510-404: The narrative-myth "imposes meaning specifically on what is still inexplicable", i.e. the essence of a city. Space design is defined as the "art and science of designing and arranging physical spaces to make them more conducive to human flourishing and  wellbeing. This process involves considering factors such as lighting, colour, furniture layout, and overall atmosphere to create a space that

6603-553: The neighbourhood whose homes were owned by Captain Forester in 1922. This means basically, that nothing can be built on the Recreation Ground that can cause a nuisance to the neighbours. Bath Rugby and Bath Recreation Limited have been granted the right to appeal against the covenant and this is due to be heard in autumn 2021. On 21 December 2021 the Appeal Court judgement was published. The above judgement in October 2020 came to

6696-421: The predecessor council, had built a Sports and Leisure Centre and car park on the south side of the Rec after taking legal advice that this was consistent with the trust obligations. However following the 2002 High Court determination, the Charity Commission decided this was a breach of trust by the council as Trustee. In 2005 the council renewed Bath Rugby 's temporary lease without the necessary prior consent from

6789-586: The proposal. On Friday 15 November 2013, Bath and North East Somerset Council's Regulatory (Access) Committee resolved to refuse the Application to register Bath Recreation Ground as a Town or Village Green pursuant to section 15 of the Commons Act 2006. On 12 June 2013 it was announced by David Dixon, the Chairman of the Recreation Ground Trust, that the Charity Commission had agreed the "land swap" by

6882-488: The public at large." The terms of the trust specify the Rec should be used for "games and sports of all kinds, tournaments, fetes, shows, exhibitions, displays, amusements, entertainments, or other activities of a like character" and there be no "undue preference to or in favour of any particular game or sport". The trust registered as a charity in November 2002. As a result of the court's determination, Bath Rugby 's use of

6975-469: The quality of American life and encouraging unity between all aspects of the community. It has been recently argued, however, that the democratic ideal of public life through the use of public space has deteriorated. As our cities accelerate towards segregation (social, economic, cultural, ethnic), the opportunity for public interaction is on the decline. John Chase writes, "The importance of voluntary and obligatory participation in civic life has been usurped by

7068-403: The removal or design of benches to restrict their use for sleeping and resting, restricting access to certain times, locking indoor/enclosed areas. Police forces are sometimes involved in moving 'unwanted' members of the public from public spaces. In fact, by not being provided suitable access, disabled people are implicitly excluded from some spaces. Human geographers have argued that in spite of

7161-528: The rights of the owners. Filming in public spaces is legal, but shopping malls are privately owned properties and often require permission for photography and video. In Nordic countries, like Norway, Sweden, Finland, and also Estonia, all nature areas are considered public space, due to a law, the allemansrätten (the right to common passage). In the United Kingdom a "Public place" includes any highway and any other premises or place to which at

7254-484: The river frontage and help to provide education and support opportunities for young people who need it most." On 18 October 2022 An application for leave to appeal the above ruling was refused by the Supreme Court which brings to an end the legal battle over the Rugby Club redeveloping on the Recreation Ground. The Club can now work on its plans and submit an application to Planning. A local interest group called

7347-442: The sole Trustee. Following this decision, the Charity Commission raised issues over the use of the land, questioning the leisure centre's compliance with the use of the land for "open air recreation", and the dominant use of the ground by Bath Rugby to the perceived detriment of wider uses. On 16 July 2006, Irish vocal pop band Westlife held a concert for their Face to Face Tour supporting their album Face to Face . The Rec

7440-408: The space that are enforced. Whilst it is generally considered that everyone has a right to access and use public space, as opposed to private space which may have restrictions, there has been some academic interest in how public spaces are managed to exclude certain groups - specifically homeless people and young people. Measures are taken to make the public space less attractive to them, including

7533-412: The space to prevent certain actions from occurring—public behavior that is considered obnoxious or out of character (i.e., drug and alcohol consumption, urinating, indecent exposure , etc.)--and are supported by law or ordinance . Through the landscape and spatial organization of public space, the social construction is considered to be privately ruled by the implicit and explicit rules and expectations of

7626-415: The space. These spaces acted as the ' commons ' of the people; a political, social and cultural arena. Of the thirteen colonies that became the United States, three were comprehensively planned with integrated physical, social, and economic elements. These planned colonies of Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Georgia each placed emphasis on public space, in particular the public square. The plan for Georgia, known as

7719-607: The urban design process, with the idea of the 'narrative-myth'. Aravot argues that "conventional analysis and problem solving methods result in fragmentation...of the authentic experience of a city...[and] something of the liveliness of the city as a singular entity is lost." The process of developing a narrative-myth in urban design involves analysing and understanding the unique aspects of the local culture based on Cassirer's five distinctive "symbolic forms". They are myth and religion, art, language, history and science; aspects often disregarded by professional practice. Aravot suggests that

7812-643: The west of the North Stand, and during the same year a lease was granted to allow a tennis club to use the north east corner of the ground. In 1956, the ground was conveyed to the Mayor Aldermen and the Citizens of the City of Bath (the corporation) for £11,155. The Bath Festival of Blues was held at the ground, on 28 June 1969, with bands including Fleetwood Mac and Led Zeppelin performing. Bath F.C. surrendered their 1933 lease, and were granted

7905-527: Was a brief period in the US under Franklin Delano Roosevelt's government that produced a huge number of public works in an economic effort to boost employment during the depression. The result, however, was more than this. They constituted a legacy of what has been called the cultural infrastructure underlying American public space. The New Deal projects have been credited with significantly contributing to

7998-505: Was considering the option of moving to the Western Riverside Development. However, by November 2010 the club had virtually ruled out alternative sites in Bath after detailed investigations, preferring to stay at the Rec, with Somerdale , Keynsham as a distant second choice. In July 2010 the Charity Commission again granted permission for the club to continue to use temporary spectator seating on charity land for

8091-483: Was covered in the Nooks and Crannies section of satire and current affairs magazine Private Eye . Public space Public space has also become something of a touchstone for critical theory in relation to philosophy , urban geography , visual art , cultural studies , social studies and urban design . The term 'public space' is also often misconstrued to mean other things such as ' gathering place ', which

8184-462: Was later reversed by the Commission. Between 2022 and 2023, the commission removed 4,146 charities from the register and concluded 5,726 regulatory action cases (includes 68 statutory inquiries). Prior to the 1840s, a body of commissioners had been established by the Statute of Charitable Uses 1601 ( 43 Eliz. 1 . c. 4), but these proved ineffective. The Charity Commission was first established by

8277-408: Was operated by Bath and North East Somerset Council but since 2015 has been owned and operated by The Recreation Ground Trust. The exact legal status was unclear until July 2002, when the High Court determined that the Rec was held on charitable trusts and the council, as sole Trustee, was charged with maintaining the Rec as an "open space" and "as a recreational facility available for the benefit of

8370-517: Was raised at the inaugural meeting of the group in January 2009. The Friends of Bath Recreation Ground is a separate group of residents local to the Recreation Ground, that holds the view that the Rec should not be used for professional sport, and that the council's actions in this matter have been dubious for many years. They threaten to take legal action should the Trust, Bath Rugby and the Charity Commission reach an agreement to allow development on

8463-470: Was the commission's report into The Atlantic Bridge , after which that body was dissolved in September 2011. The commission announced in October 2011, in the context of cost-cutting and a re-focussing of its activities, that it would no longer carry out regulatory compliance investigations. In 2012, the commission refused to grant charitable status to Plymouth Brethren Christian Church , stating that it

8556-535: Was to swap the Bath Rugby Lambridge training ground for the Rugby Ground at the Rec and to allow the Leisure Centre to remain on open space land. On 7 July 2011 the Trustees announced the results of the consultation in that 4,000 + responses had been received and 86% were in favour of the land swap to correct the abuse of the usage of the Rugby Club and to change the objects of the Trust to allow

8649-491: Was unclear whether the body's aims were compatible with the requirement for charities to have a public benefit. The commission stated that this was called into doubt as a result of the "exclusivity" of the body. The decision was discussed at a session of the Public Accounts Committee , during which MP Charlie Elphicke accused the commission of being "committed to the suppression of religion". The decision

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