Race against time for Bristol City's stadium dream

The clock has begun ticking on Bristol City's plans for a new stadium at Ashton Vale.

The club has submitted its £65-million scheme to the city council in the hope of winning planning permission.

And these exclusive images show the site that would be used and how the new stadium would look.

But it is a race against time to win consent before a deadline of November 6.

That's when the council must hand in its bid to the Football Association to stage World Cup games in the city.

The FA hopes to win permission from FIFA to host the World Cup tournament in 2018.

If the World Cup does come to Bristol then it could generate up to £100m for the local economy.

A formal 28-day consultation period is due to start next week to give people and statutory bodies the chance to put forward their views on the new stadium.

People's views will still be accepted after the formal consultation period ends.

Planning officers will draw up a report which will be put before councillors in the autumn – probably at a specially-convened meeting in October.

The sheer size of the application – it runs to 36 volumes – means the city council can only be "minded to approve" if they support the scheme.

The final decision lies with GOSW – the Government Office for the South West.

But the FA will be mostly watching the city council's decision because GOSW's final say is seen as formal endorsement rather than another hurdle.

The same planning application has been submitted to North Somerset Council because the new stadium sits on the boundary between the two councils.

Planning officers from both councils will be asked for their views as part of the planning process.

Deputy council leader Simon Cook said he could see no reason why the target date should not be met.

He said: "The planning officers have been aware of this for a long time.

"They will have to examine the scheme very carefully and take as long as it takes but I see no reason why the target should not be met.

"I think the new stadium would be a fantastic facility. It would be brilliant for the city and brilliant for the football club.

"What's more, it includes a 1,000-seat conference centre which has been lacking in the city for a long time and a lot of business has been lost as a result."

Ian Cawley, development director for the project on behalf of the club and the landowners, said they had been working on the scheme for the past 15 months.

He said he was confident that a decision could be made before the November 6 deadline.

He said one of the fundamental principles had been to minimise the impact of the new stadium on the area.

To this end, the stadium bowl would be sunk to lower its height and reduce crowd noise for residents in Silbury Road. There would also be extensive landscaping to protect homes in the northern end of the street.

The only access for cars would be from the A370 next to the park and ride site. A residents' car parking scheme was likely on match days in Ashton Vale to stop the streets from clogging up with supporters' cars.

Club chairman Steve Lansdown said the planning application for the new stadium had been an "evolving process".

He said: "When people came to see the plans before and after Christmas they made comments, and we have taken these on board.

"There were lots of useful additions and minor changes to cater for people's concerns such as ensuring the environment was properly taken into account, pedestrian access, car parking etc and we've incorporated all of them as the process has gone on.

"Nothing dramatic has changed, it's just been tweaked.

"It's been a major hurdle to get to this point. There has been a lot of work going on that people just don't see. We've put in a strong and sensitive case and it is now with the planners and the public for comment.

"I'm delighted about the whole project. It should be a major stepping stone in the redevelopment of south Bristol.

"There's been a lot of talk and I'm excited we have got to this stage.

"It is available for people to look at and make their observations. And the planners will take these into account.

"The planning application for Ashton Gate will go in shortly as it is important for the stadium project as a whole."

City manager Gary Johnson said: "The big thing is to get the new stadium.

"The area needs a new state-of-the-art stadium and the chairman is willing to back that with time and money. It would be a fantastic venue – and not just for football.

"There are a number of clubs who are thriving because they have gone into new stadiums and we must not be left behind. I love Ashton Gate because it has history but modern football now needs a modern stadium. Bristol has to realise that and if the World Cup comes to England and some of the games come here it would be a tremendous feat and a fantastic occasion."

Stuart Rogers, chairman of the supporter's trust, said: "We're delighted that the plans for the new stadium have been submitted and we are fully behind the project.

"We would also like to say that we want to work with the local community to make sure the project is complementary as well."

Mr Rogers said the club has fully consulted with the trust over the design of the stadium.

And the club has promised to talk with the trust nearer the build stage over the best ways to reflect the heritage of the club in the new building.

This might include, for example, the most appropriate names for the new stands and approach roads.