‘We have to get Bristol Arena project right’

The wait for the highly anticipated Bristol Arena is set to continue, after the mayor announced a final decision will be delayed until the spring.

Marvin Rees says the council needs to be absolutely certain about the cost and wider economic benefit to the region, as he admits the latest stalling of plans is “a bitter pill to swallow”.

For years, the derelict site by Temple Meads has been earmarked as the location for the 12,000 capacity arena, with an £11.3m bridge already erected for the purpose, another footbridge under way and £9m of public funds already ploughed into the project.

Could the Brabazon Hangar be the new location for the Bristol Arena?

But the mayor has confirmed widespread rumours that the Brabazon Hangar at the former Filton Airfield is in the running as a possible alternative – one that is being put forward by private sector developer YTL and could deliver a bigger venue, holding up to 15,000 people

This follows an announcement in November 2017 that the project would be stalled and a cost analysis widened to include other locations. 

“Not enough work was done on options in the first place,” says Rees.

“Now a second option has come forward more formally, giving us two potential schemes to look at.

“Inevitably, this also brings a need for more information and we need to fully evaluate this new proposal and the associated infrastructure costs.

“We have already gone a long way down the road with the Temple Quarter project and the council needs to be confident that it can make a like-for-like comparison when informing final proposals and taking a decision.”

The bridge leading to the as yet undeveloped Arena Island by Temple Meads

At a full council meeting on Monday, the mayor was challenged on repeatedly delaying a decision, while costs of delivering the project at all are potentially rocketing.

In response, he said: “In terms of cost inflation, I’m not happy about that at all, but we have got to get it right. One of the challenges we face is the cost inflation, but the other risk is to pursue a model that we are told is one cost, but then it goes up.

“As much as it’s a bitter pill to swallow, to sit and wait while cost inflation goes up, for a project this size, we want to be absolutely certain about the cost of the project and wider economic benefit for the region.”

An arena on the Brabazon Hangar site could increase capacity to 15,000.

An attraction of the Brabazon Hangar location, which sits on the border with South Gloucestershire, is that it would include private investment – easing the burden on the cash-strapped council – and would form part of a mixed-use development.

Bristol City Council is working with South Gloucestershire Council and WECA on the viability of developing the site.

So, if the decision is made to relocate the entire project to north Bristol, what will become of the Temple Quarter area?

According to cabinet papers, there are a number of possibilities for site that could include commercial retail, leisure, hotel, cultural offering and anywhere between 400 – 1,000 new homes.

Rees has stressed that he is 100 per cent committed to delivering an arena for Bristol, but he wants to be sure the council is fully informed on the options for achieving it at a cost the city can afford.

The latest report will be presented to cabinet at a meeting on Tuesday, January 23, with a final decision expected in April.

Read more: The Bristol Arena: a timeline