PLANS have been announced to upgrade changing rooms at a Teignbridge rugby club, including providing more women’s toilets. 

Teignmouth Rugby Club wants to redevelop its facilities as they no longer meet the needs of players or visitors. 

While the club has teams of all ages and genders and promotes inclusivity, its premises only have two women’s toilets. 

Built in the 1990s, the current configuration also means there are safeguarding issues if the club wants to use the building for children and adults at the same time of women and men together. 

Time is running out for the club as potential funding from the RFU is available but plans need to be approved and its own fundraising started by September.

Now a planning application has been submitted to Teignbridge Council to upgrade the existing changing facilities. 

Andy Crossman, president of Teignmouth RFU, says in a letter to planners, the club needs to alter the layout of the changing room block as it ‘no longer meets the needs of our members or visitors’ and doen’t meet current RFU standards.

Mr Crossman said: ‘The current configuration of our changing rooms means that there are safeguarding issues if we want to use the building for children at the same time as adults or women at the same time as men due to the single set of open showers and access along the central corridor to all changing spaces.

‘In addition there are not enough toilets, so there are only two for women when one team and their opponents could easily be 40 people.

‘Therefore major improvements need to be made to ensure our facilities meet the required standards and are warm, dry and safe for all.’

The club has been awarded a grant from the RFU towards the project.

But the offer is linked to legacy funding from the Women’s 2025 World Cup so the club has a ‘limited window’ to achieve certain ‘milestones’ if it is to receive the money. 

Mr Crossman appealed: ‘We are politely requesting you look at these plans as quickly as possible to meet the deadlines and help make this project a success for the broader rugby community.’