Bristol City stadium - arguments for and against

The arguments for:

Bristol City FC manager Gary Johnson spoke first in favour of the stadium plans, saying a new stadium was central to the club's ambitions of reaching and competing in the Premier League.

He said: "To do that, we definitely need a new stadium."

Marie Day, from the BCFC Supporters' Trust, said Ashton Gate was outdated and unsuitable for disabled and elderly people, but the new stadium would improve access.

Miles Hardy, vice chair of Bristol City Supporters' Trust, said 95 per cent of City fans surveyed were in favour of a new stadium.

He said: "Citizens of England's sixth biggest city should have top class facilities that we can get to easily and be proud of. And when such a facility will be privately funded, we surely have to grasp the opportunity."

Mike Trice, of architects Populous, said each stand would let supporters get close to the pitch and give them excellent views, and the stadium's design would reduce its visual impact on the landscape.

James Durie, of Business West, said the stadium would place Bristol on the world map for tourism, business, sport and culture, and the economy would receive a £150 million benefit from new jobs and visitors.

Labour leader Helen Holland, speaking on behalf of MP Dawn Primarolo and councillor Mark Bradshaw, said the scheme was "an important, perhaps unique, opportunity for the future progression not only of Bristol City FC, but for sport generally in our city".

City chief executive Colin Sexstone said City had to move because Ashton Gate was "too small, too expensive to maintain, and the facilities are inadequate".

He said approval of the Southland housing plans that would help finance the scheme was "absolutely essential".

Mr Sexstone said: "Without this approval then the viability is in serious doubt."

He finished by saying: "The opportunity is here, now, today – not tomorrow. Please, I beg of you, take this opportunity now. It is not coming our way again, that is for certain."

The arguments against:

Peter Crispin, from the Ashton Vale Heritage Group, said residents' concerns were being ignored.

He said: "The existing site (Ashton Gate) can be increased in capacity, if required, and every-day usage by redesign and improvement of existing facilities.

"It would appear that the new proposal is more about building houses and hotels to fund the scheme, rather than improve the existing site and also to make money for the owner and shareholders."

Ron Morton, of Save Our Green Spaces, said he was behind the World Cup bid and efforts of Bristol City to get to the Premier League, but not at the cost of the loss of all the green belt around the stadium.

He said approval of the plans would threaten the city, saying: "Every other developer will come forward with the same package, and the city will spread out a mile in every direction."

Pip Sheard, of Bristol Friends of the Earth, said the group opposed the stadium planning application for three reasons – loss of countryside and green space, adverse traffic impacts on the local community and the destruction of local wildlife habitats.

Farmers Jill and Paul Britten, of Whitewood Farm in Norton Lane, Whitchurch, said green belt was supposed to be protected by planning policy guidelines to stop large-scale developments such as the stadium, adding that the green belt had benefits for the community and didn't need to be destroyed.

Steve Micklewright, of the Avon Wildlife Trust, said there had been no analysis of the impacts of the stadium combined with other proposed developments in the area, such as the scheme for 10,500 houses between Dundry and Long Ashton.

He said: "We are extremely concerned that this is piecemeal development with no strategic view of the impacts on wildlife across the unitary authority boundaries, directly contrary to local, regional and national policy on legislation."