The Rugby Football Union (RFU) has submitted plans to hold up to 15 concerts for the world’s biggest artists every year at Twickenham’s Allianz Stadium.
The move marks a major step forward for the RFU’s bid to hold 15 major non-sporting events annually at the stadium, which has been the home of England Rugby since 1909.
The proposals have attracted widespread opposition from residents since they were announced in 2024, with more than 3,000 people signing a petition raising concerns about the potential disruption to locals’ daily lives.
The 82,000-seat stadium currently has permission to hold three major non-sporting events each year, which can’t be held on consecutive days, and their capacity is capped at 55,000. It sits empty for around 340 days a year.
The RFU said the move would help the stadium to become a world-class destination for events, adapt to financial pressures and fund a planned upgrade of the venue.
The number of events it holds would increase in phases over three years if Richmond Council approves the application, with no more than eight separate events overall and a maximum of three events outside May to September.
There would be no more than three consecutive events in any two-week period.
The events would be capped to a maximum of 75,000 people, with lower limits on weekends initially.
Residents would get priority access to tickets, with 1,000 tickets per concert made available through a pre-sale window.
The cost of each ticket would include a facility fee to be put into a community enhancement fund to improve stadium operations and finance projects that support the local community. It is estimated this would generate up to £1million a year to be reinvested locally.
Community groups could also use spaces in the stadium for free, with at least 30 free bookings every year.
The RFU said it agreed with SWR for extra train services to be held at Twickenham Station during peak times on event days.
It said the plans would make the stadium attractive to promoters, where it is currently at a disadvantage in trying to attract global tours compared to other UK venues, as artists typically want to play longer concert runs on weekends. It has only hosted one concert since 2019.
The application looks at how the stadium could safely support the proposed increase in concerts, rather than making physical changes to the venue.
Planning documents said: “The proposals will bring significant economic benefits to the local economy, with spending on accommodation, food, drink and other ancillary items within the local area. The uplift in the number of major non-sporting events will also create employment opportunities and demand for visitor accommodation.
“The ability to host a greater number of events over a total of 15 major non sporting event days would allow the RFU to attract the top artists to the stadium, cementing the stadium’s position as an internationally significant sporting and cultural venue, diversifying the stadium’s offer and appealing to a wider audience.”
The application comes after the RFU was dealt a blow in October, when Richmond’s licensing committee rejected its application to lift restrictions only allowing it to host three concerts a year.
The committee said it had decided against lifting the restrictions “for the foreseeable future” and asked the RFU to “better engage with the local residents”, ahead of submitting any future application to increase the number of concerts.
While the number, size and type of events held at the stadium is a planning decision, the RFU also needs licensing approval to fully go ahead with the plans.
The council will make a decision on the planning application in due course. It is currently accepting feedback on its website.
