News / Memorial Stadium
Rovers to withdraw planning application for new stand
Bristol Rovers have taken the surprise decision to withdraw their planning application for the South Stand at the Memorial Stadium.
As the new stand continues to be constructed, the club will be submitting a revised application to the city council.
The withdrawal of the original application brings into question the legal status of the “call-in” by Bishopston & Ashley Down councillor, Emma Edwards.
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Building work has been taking place since July without any planning permission granted for the steel structure which when finished will be able to hold 3,414 fans.
Despite a requirement for 34 disabled seats based upon the new capacity, the original planning application’s design & access statement has only ten spaces alongside the same number of assist spaces.
Because the South Stand has no planning permission, it is within the power of Bristol City Council to demand it is knocked down but this still appears highly unlikely to happen, with Rovers bosses gambling that the structure will be granted retrospective permission.
The proposed South Stand at the Memorial Stadium has yet to be granted planning permission – image: Bristol Rovers
Bristol24/7 understands that local residents were informed about the decision at a meeting with club officials.
But writing about the meeting in his most recent programme notes, Rovers CEO Tom Gorringe did not reveal the news about the withdrawal of the planning application.
Gorringe did say, however, that a number of reports have been conducted including on lighting, ecology, travel plans and noise impact, as well as plans for the new stand to have solar panels on its roof: none of which have yet appeared on the city council’s planning portal for the original application, which remains with the status “pending consideration” as of Thursday morning.
The South Stand under construction as seen from Alton Road in Ashley Down – photo: Martin Booth
Cabinet member for housing, Tom Renhard, was among those to criticise the Green Party’s call-in in an opinion piece written for Bristol24/7.
There have also been hundreds of messages of support from Rovers fans on the council’s planning portal.
A call-in means that elected councillors decide on a planning application, but it is unlikely that Edwards’ original call-in will apply to any new application, meaning that a new call-in could be made when the new planning application is officially submitted by the club.
Bristol24/7 contacted Rovers’ media team by email and WhatsApp on Wednesday but have received no response.
Main photo: Dan Hargraves
Read next:
- Anger as Rovers start building new stand without planning permission
- Rovers promise to work closer with local residents as new stand continues to take shape
- Rovers CEO says there have been ‘frustrations’ with South Stand
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