High Wycombe Rugby Club could have its “utilitarian and bunker-like” 1970s club house overhauled and extended if new plans are given the green light.

The busy rugby club on Kingsmead Road wants to add a part single, part two-storey front and side extension to the club house – saying the current building, which was built in 1971, is “dated”.

Around 400 boys and girls take part in activities at the club on Sundays, with four senior teams using the facilities on Saturday.

Successful teams for women and girls were also formed in the last few years – but because of restrictions on the club’s changing rooms, they can only play on Sunday afternoons.

Currently, because the club has an open plan shower, the female teams cannot use the changing rooms at the same time as any of the male teams – leaving them “slightly removed from the social aspect of the club”.

If given the go-ahead, the extension would help improve the changing rooms, allowing male and female teams to use the club house at the same time. It would also improve disabled access and increase the size of the lounge area – which would help the club generate cash to support its teams.

The extension would allow the club to create six changing rooms, each with its own shower and toilet, instead of the current two open plan changing areas and there would also be a larger physio room.

The first floor lounge also “struggles to cope” on matchdays because it gets so busy – and the planned overhaul would allow it to be extended and divided into two function rooms.

The outside of the building could also be given a makeover – with planning documents submitted to Wycombe District Council suggesting the “unattractive” club house could be “enlivened”, with references to the club’s green, white and black colour scheme.

The club’s car park is not thought to be affected by the planned revamp.

View the full plans online at www.wycombe.gov.uk - search planning reference 20/05216/FUL.