IT is one of the biggest issues in Bristol for years – and a live radio debate proved it.

Even as people were leaving the auditorium after last night's debate, broadcast by BBC Radio Bristol from the Oasis Academy in Hengrove, they were still putting forward the arguments for and against a new stadium at Ashton Vale.

Tickets for the event, jointly organised by the Evening Post and BBC Radio Bristol, could have been snapped up three times over and those who were picked at random to attend shared the passion of the panellists debating the issues surrounding Bristol City's proposed new home.

Steve Burnell, 48, a train driver from Hartcliffe, said: "It has been a very interesting debate – I got to hear both arguments.

"I thought the pro-stadium side was excellent.

"The other side were all about anti-stadium, nothing else.

"If the stadium was built, it would be fantastic for the whole of the South West – in five years' time, we will wonder what all the fuss was about."

Richard Lane, 55, a builder from Knowle, said: "I think the campaign against the stadium has been organised by the Green Party.

"All they are concerned about is not letting the stadium be built and saving the green belt."

A retired head teacher, who asked not to be named, said he did not blame the residents for using the town green legislation to fight the stadium plans.

"I would do the same," he said.

He said the city should have had a new stadium years ago but the city council never bothered to do anything about it.

They were only getting involved now because the club was prepared to put the money in to build one.

A town green supporter, who declined to give his name, said the debate had never answered the question of why a stadium could not be built at Temple Meads, where there was plenty of land available.

Another town green supporter said that if a stadium was built at Ashton Vale, then it would set a precedent for more building on green belt land which was already under threat.

Annette Hennessy, 48, a school nurse support worker from Portishead, said she thought the stadium side had won the argument.

"We've got to look to the future," she said.

Chris Brewer, 55, a postie from Sea Mills and City season ticket holder, said: "I thought the debate was very encouraging from the point of view of City fans."

Although ticket recipients were chosen at random by a computer, it became clear as the six panellists took their seats that the majority of the audience were clearly in favour of building a stadium at Ashton Vale.

Ron Morton, from the pressure group Save Our Green Spaces, was booed as he spoke of Ashton Vale as agricultural land which should be preserved.

But Guy Price, the club's development director, received a round of loud applause when he said that the stadium would be built on a former landfill site and would be a fantastic asset for the whole of the city.

Long Ashton parish councillor Charles Cave nailed his colours to the mast from the outset by saying that the green belt should be protected and valued as highly as Bristol's other 'jewels in the crown' such as the Downs, Clifton Suspension Bridge and the Harbourside.

Steve Micklewright, for the Avon Wildlife Trust, said wild animals and birds did not perceive the land as a former rubbish dump – they saw it as a place to live and a stepping stone to get across the city.

Mike Norton, editor of the Evening Post, said the economic case for a stadium outweighed the case for a town green, which drew loud applause.

And he received a roar of approval when he said: "This is not really about a town green – it's an anti-stadium application."

Deputy city council leader Councillor Simon Cook warned during the debate that the law was so narrow on town green legislation that there was little room for compromise.

He said that although the council had made it clear it was in favour of supporting a stadium, it would be up to seven councillors sitting in a quasi-legal committee to make a decision whether to approve town green registration.

If approved, then no development will be allowed on the land for ever.

One of the most telling remarks from the audience came from a pro-stadium supporter who said: "Brunel would never have got anything done if he was alive today."

The Post came under attack for taking sides in the issue.

Mr Norton said that although the paper had taken a view, it had reported the issue fairly.

"Sometimes there are issues where the paper has to stand up and be counted," he said. "This is one of those issues."

Mr Micklewright suggested that the council was getting a poor return for the land deal, which saw the club taking ownership of two parcels of land that could have been sold for £4.6 million.

But Mr Cook explained that the deal meant that the council was receiving the equivalent of £360,000 a year for 30 years.

Mr Price said people should be talking about what the stadium would mean for Bristol and the region – thousands of jobs and millions of pounds of investment.

"We shouldn't be looking a gift horse in the mouth," he said, which drew a loud round of applause.

Mr Cave said it was important that the football club had a spiritual home but it was important that a new stadium should have proper access.

"This is more about the site being owned by the club," he said.

But Mr Price replied that as far back as 2002, the city council was looking at possible sites for a new stadium and it was Ashton Vale which was confirmed as the best site.

Although there were only six questions that were put to the panel, more than 100 had been submitted.

More than 600 people had applied for a ticket to attend the event and the 230-seat auditorium was full, despite the bad weather.

On Thursday, FIFA will announce where the World Cup will be staged in 2018. If England is chosen, then Bristol is virtually certain of hosting games – as long as the new stadium is built – because it is one of 12 host cities included in the England bid.

Mr Price said that it would be the icing on the cake if England won the bid but what really mattered was what the new stadium would mean for Bristol.

Today is the deadline for responses to the appeal for new evidence which has been submitted by the club in support of a new stadium at Ashton Vale.

It will now be up to the council to make a final decision whether to register the 42-acre site as a town green.

The issue will be put before members of the Public Rights of Way committee – possibly before Christmas but more likely in the new year.

They will have to decide whether to make a decision themselves, pass the issue back to the independent inspector for a review or pass it on to the full council to consider.