News / Ashton Gate Stadium
Final details revealed for Ashton Gate’s new ‘sporting quarter’
A 4,000-seater sports and convention centre (don’t call it an arena) is at the heart of plans for a new ‘sporting quarter’ at Ashton Gate Stadium.
A planning application has now been submitted by Bristol Sport for the plans that would see Bristol Flyers basketball team join Bristol City and Bristol Bears at Ashton Gate.
The sporting quarter plans also include a multi-storey car park, hotel, gym, flats and office space.
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An outline planning application has also been submitted for 500 new homes on the Longmoor site to Bristol City Council and North Somerset Council.
The site is located between Silbury Road, David Lloyd Leisure Centre, the Cala Trading Estate, the Long Ashton park & ride and the metrobus line, and was previously the proposed location of Bristol City’s new stadium before the redevelopment of Ashton Gate.
This application is predominantly for the land to the west of Colliter’s Brook (and improvement to the Brook itself) and does not involve Ashton Gate Stadium – image: Bristol Sport
Ashton Gate chairman, Martin Griffiths, said that it has been “a long road to get to this point”.
He said: “We wanted to make sure we had the best possible plan in place to deliver this next exciting phase of Ashton Gate’s redevelopment…
“Based on the feedback received we have made significant improvements to the Sporting Quarter scheme.
“The tallest building has now been reduced by five storeys; community facilities have been increased with sports, fitness and well-being facilities added on the roof of the Sports & Convention Centre, plus the northern entrance (near Ashton Road) has been totally pedestrianised for non-matchdays.
“The linked proposals of the Sporting Quarter and Longmoor developments offer significant regeneration benefits.
“The highway and transport improvements, the delivery of much needed jobs, the critical need for additional housing and the economic growth that will come from building a world-class sporting and entertainment quarter here in South Bristol.”
The Longmoor site 500m to the south west of Ashton Gate will have some 500 homes “in a high-quality urban village environment” – image: Bristol Sport
The Longmoor site is currently enclosed between the David Lloyd gym and Cala Trading Estate to the north and the metrobus route to the south west – image: Bristol Sport
The southern field next to the Longmoor site will remain green and will not be built on, Bristol Sport bosses promise.
Griffiths added: “We will be working with councillors, residents and local wildlife organisations to enhance this space for the benefit of the wildlife and the community.
“It means that the Longmoor development will capture a biodiversity net gain with increased protection for habitats and fauna as well as improved connections for pedestrians and cyclists.”
Bristol Sport hope that they will be able to start construction of the new sporting quarter in 2022 with completion as early as 2024.
Main image: Bristol Sport
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