RUSH Skatepark is to make a fresh attempt to bring a new facility to the Stroud area after admitting its plans for a site at Moreton Valence ultimately failed.
The charity behind the campaign has revealed that more than £50,000 was spent trying to progress the proposed new skatepark, including planning, architectural work, surveys and professional fees.
But despite years of work, the project could not move forward because of circumstances surrounding the land.
RUSH has now said it is rebuilding the organisation and looking again at how a new skatepark can be delivered.
The announcement comes five years after the original RUSH Skatepark closed its doors at Brimscombe Port.
The skatepark was forced to leave the site after Stroud District Council’s planning committee unanimously approved proposals to demolish units across the business park and industrial estate to make way for 150 new homes, alongside the redevelopment of the canal basin and associated highways infrastructure.
The hugely popular facility, founded by Jerry and Michelle Norman in 2013, closed on August 29, 2021, to make way for the redevelopment of the former industrial site, which remains undeveloped to this day.
At its peak, RUSH attracted riders from across the country and hosted major competitions, including the Scootfest World Championships. It was also used by elite athletes, including Olympic BMX gold medallist Charlotte Worthington.
Following the closure, supporters established a campaign to ensure the RUSH legacy continued and a charity, Rush Sports Community Trust CIO, was formed.
A fundraising campaign was launched to help create a new facility, with the charity previously identifying land near Moreton Valence as a potential location.
By 2023, fundraising had already passed £50,000, with the money intended to help progress the planning process for a new skatepark.
Now, RUSH has acknowledged that the Moreton Valence project has come to an end.
In a statement, the organisation said: “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.”
It added: “Unfortunately, despite all of that work, the project ultimately couldn’t move forward because of circumstances surrounding the land.”
RUSH also acknowledged that it had not kept supporters sufficiently informed during the process.
“We didn’t communicate enough,” the organisation said.
“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.”
The charity says it is now entering a “new chapter”, with plans to rebuild the organisation, bring new people into the project and look again for a way to deliver a new skatepark.
It stressed that there is still significant work to do, but said it was determined to try again.
“We’re giving it another go,” RUSH said.
The organisation also promised greater involvement for the local community, including more regular updates, greater transparency and opportunities for supporters to have their say.
The original RUSH Skatepark became a major part of the local sporting landscape after opening at Brimscombe Port in 2013.
At the time of its closure, supporters warned that the loss of the facility would leave young riders without a comparable indoor venue in the area.
The closure followed years of uncertainty over the future of Brimscombe Port, with the site earmarked for redevelopment. Stroud District Council had said it understood the importance of RUSH and had worked with the organisation to try to identify alternative premises.
Five years on, the search for a permanent new home continues.
But RUSH says the campaign is not finished.
“RUSH isn’t over,” it said. “This is the next chapter.”
