I am disgusted with Bristol City Council's decision to allow the new Bristol City stadium to be built on green belt land due to special circumstances.

As far as I am concerned, there are no special circumstances for the new stadium to be built on the green belt. They could have built a new stadium at Ashton Gate.

It is only due to finance that they have planning permission so that they can build houses, a drive-through restaurant, a hotel and shops, etc. They will also get money from selling off Ashton Gate.

It is also disgusting that Bristol City Council is giving land to Bristol City Football Club and is also wavering Section 106 money. People of Bristol should have a say in this decision to approve or not approve to give all this land/money to a private developer, when it is their land/money that is being given away. Other developers who have not been given the same opportunities will now expect to receive the same treatment.

This is disgusting as Bristol City Council is forever saying there have to be cuts due to lack of money, i.e. old people's homes and day centres for people with learning difficulties closing, and people having to pay for home help, etc. The list could go on.

Seeing as the site where the new Bristol City stadium will be built is on a floodplain, I only hope that Ashton won't be flooded again like it was in 1968.

The residents of Ashton Vale will also be on a desert island if any events are held at the new stadium. Plans were put in for Ashton Drive to be closed half an hour before a match and up to an hour after a match to let the supporters walk through the two arches in Ashton Drive, one of which is for traffic and one for pedestrians. God forbid if the emergency services wanted to get through during these times. This will also mean that residents won't have a bus service during these times.

Residents in cars who want to get into Ashton Vale during these times will have to struggle across Winterstoke Road to get into South Liberty Lane (if they can due to the amount of traffic coming out after a match, etc), which is over a single lane and a little humpback bridge with traffic lights.

It is also very sad that the plans for the new stadium will destroy Ashton Vale and it will never be the same again. Future generations will never know how special it was to live in Ashton Vale.

Chris Pratley, Ashton Vale.

AN open letter to all Bristol City and north Somerset councillors.

We are being overwhelmed by the city imposing its significant might on the rural areas of north Somerset. We are currently facing major development proposals for Bristol City's stadium, Ashton Park development, university land, Failand development and link roads.

The impact of any of these proposals would be detrimental to the future of the area, all residents and future generations. This area is near the suspension bridge, Avon Gorge, a tidal river and the Floating Harbour, which makes it a beautiful place to live and work, and it is this uniqueness that makes the city and north Somerset special. Protection of the green belt is paramount to the residents, visitors, local businesses, future generations and the city of Bristol. This view is supported by the current Prime Minister, who stated that land designated as green belt will be protected.

The proposal to develop the football stadium is totally impractical. The area can barely cope with normal day-to-day traffic. In the recent past when the stadium has hosted a major act attracting about 20,000 fans, the city and surrounding roads have been gridlocked and at a standstill for four to five hours.

This is proof that an increase in the size of the stadium to 30,000 people would be impractical for the very reason people could not get there. The location of the site would bring noise, severe congestion, pollution, vandalism and crime.

In addition, the land is an old rubbish tip which should not be disturbed due to hazardous content, it will increase flooding on the marsh lands and is also the floodplain for overflow from Barrow reservoir.

You as councillors, like all the residents, are being overwhelmed and inundated with significant proposals from many developers.

I trust that you will take a realistic stance to the outrageous proposals put forward.

Once the green belt is lost and quality of lives ruined for us and future generations it is lost forever.

Dawn H Trowbridge, Long Ashton.