Bristol City new stadium recommended for approval

Bristol City's plans for a £65 million stadium at Ashton Vale have been recommended for approval by city planners.

But council planning officers are opposed to one of two housing developments next to the stadium

Officers at Bristol City Council have released a 139 page report on the clubs application for a 30,000 stadium to replace Ashton Gate, due to be discussed at a meeting next week.

They recommend the south and east development control committee is "minded to approve" the plans for the stadium, hotel and part of the proposed housing.

The officers’ report says they are in favour of housing being built on the site of the former Alderman Moores allotments, which is between the proposed site of the stadium itself and the city boundary, because access for pedestrians would come through there from Silbury Road.

But they object to the building of houses on an area to the south of the proposed stadium site called Southlands housing, next to the park and ride. City say the housing is crucial to paying for the cost of the new ground, but the officers feel that is not a good enough reason.

The report says: “The relevant test has not been met for the Southlands housing because the very special circumstances put forward, that it is development necessary to assist the funding of an intrinsically non-viable stadium, do not clearly outweigh the harm to the green belt and furthermore the housing development has adverse impacts on wildlife interests and is an unacceptable isolated form of development.”

The report also shows that responses sent direct to the council were split almost exactly 50-50, for and against the development.

But the biggest petition – with nearly 6,000 names on it – was in favour.

One petition on the council’s own website collected 450 signatures in favour, while one against had 295 people against the proposal.

Objections to the scheme came from the Greater Bedminster Community Partnership, Long Ashton Parish Council, The Campaign Against Urban Sprawl, Bristol Parks Forum, Hotwells & District Allotments Association Ltd, Bristol Friends of the Earth, Transport for Greater Bristol Alliance, Protect Whitchurch Greenbelt Alliance, Hands off Long Ashton, Avon Wildlife Trust, Open Spaces Society, Whitchurch Action Group and Save Siston and Warmley Green Spaces.

Any approval would be on the condition that a solution is found for providing pedestrian access between Winterstoke Road and the stadium.

The committee is due to hear the application next Thursday.