Bristol City FC: The long journey so far towards a new stadium

TIMELINE:

Nov 2007: Evening Post exclusively reveals City are considering leaving Ashton Gate for new stadium

Oct 2008: Club launches consultation with residents over plans for new stadium.

Nov 2008: World Cup could come to Bristol if new stadium gets the go-ahead.

Nov 2008: Club chairman Steve Lansdown unveils his vision for stadium at club's annual meeting.

Dec 2008: Club supporters give glowing endorsement for proposed new ground.

Feb 2009: Fans and residents are invited to see new stadium masterplan.

May 2009: Steve Lansdown urges the city council not to drag its heels over his plans for a new football stadium.

July 2009: Club submits stadium plan to city

council.

July 2009: Berate pressure group is launched to fight Tesco plan at Ashton Gate.

July 2009: Team of experts from the England 2018 World Cup

bid team visit Bristol.

Aug 2009: Club chief executive Colin Sexstone urges "silent majority" to back the club's plans.

Sept 2009: More than 200 people pack a public meeting to express concern over plans for a Tesco store.

Sept 2009: A consultants' report, commissioned by the city council, says there is no need for another large supermarket in Bedminster.

Oct 2009: Steve Lansdown spells out the bottom line: No foodstore, no stadium.

Oct 2009: Berate pressure group lodges its objections to Tesco plan.

Oct 2009: Steve Lansdown calls on City fans to make their voices heard in support of club's plans.

Oct 2009: Club signs deal with Sainsbury's, not

Tesco.

Oct 2009: Residents submit applications for the whole of the

42-acre site to be designated as a town green.

Nov 2009: City councillors give their backing to a new stadium.

Dec 2009: North Somerset councillors shock club by

recommending planning refusal for access road and entrance.

Mar 2010: Secretary of State decides there is no need for a public inquiry over new stadium.

May 2010: Public inquiry is held over town green status for

stadium site.

May 2010: North Somerset councillors approve plans for access road and entrance.

June 2010: Secretary of State decides no public inquiry is required over stadium access.

July 2010: City councillors throw stadium plans into disarray by turning down Sainsbury's superstore scheme.

Sept 2010: Sainsbury's reveals revised superstore scheme to address concerns raised by councillors.

Sept 2010: Independent inspector's report recommends that entire 42 acres should be registered as a town green.

Sept 2010: Supporters launch petition with 30,000 target in favour of stadium.

Oct 2010: MPs from Bristol area take unprecedented step of giving unanimous support to stadium.

Nov 2010: The club submits new evidence to city council against stadium site being registered as a town green.

Nov 2010: Evening Post joins with BBC Radio Bristol to stage a ground v. green debate.

Dec 2010: Council leaders urge the club and residents to hold mediation talks over town green dispute.

Jan 2011: Mediation talks start.

Feb 2011: Independent consultants' report comes out against new superstore because of "adverse impact" on existing traders.

Feb 2011: The council's planning officers recommend refusal for new superstore.

Mar 2011: Supporters reach 30,000 target for petition – one name for every seat at proposed stadium.

Mar 2011: Councillors decide to give planning permission for new store.

Mar 2011: Mediation talks break down.

April 2011: Mr Lansdown and leading Ashton Vale campaigner Linda Stone both call on city council to hurry up and make a decision whether to register Ashton Vale as a town green.

May 2011: Council leader Barbara Janke promises a decision on Ashton Vale "within a month".as a condition of Lib Dems taking minority control

of the council.

May 2011: Secretary of State announces there is no need to hold a public inquiry into planning consent for Sainsbury's superstore at Ashton

Gate.

June 2011: Public Rights of Way committee decides in favour of part registration of the site which paves the way for a stadium to be built

on the former landfill tip.

Aug 2011: court application is lodged for judicial review against council's "split site" decision.

Sept 2011: Evening Post exclusively reveals that Long Ashton parish council is using taxpayers' money to bankroll legal costs of judicial

review application.

Jan 2012: Judge decides that a full hearing on judicial review should go ahead.

Feb 2012: anonymous resident who applied for judicial review withdraws from dispute.

April 2012: High Court judge decides that full hearing on judicial review should go ahead.

May 2012: Council withdraws its defence of judicial review and announces new public inquiry.

Aug 2012: Same independent inspector who held first inquiry is appointed to conduct second inquiry.

February 2013: The Post exclusively reveals the club's plans to rebuild Ashton Gate.

Oct 2013: Scheduled date for second inquiry to be

held.