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Tue March 19 2024

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Bouygues waits as councillors reconsider Bristol Arena plans

30 Mar 16 Bristol City Council’s development control committee is to reconsider plans for a £95m entertainment centre, having previously deferred a decision on the scheme.

Bristol Arena has been designed by Populous
Bristol Arena has been designed by Populous

Councillors previously expressed concerns about the traffic impact of the 12,000-capacity Bristol Arena.

However, two applications will now go back to councillors for consideration at a meeting on 6th April: a detailed planning application covering the arena building, public plaza and access; and an outline application for the future development of Arena Island.

The applications will be accompanied by a new report that outlines further progress made on transport plans since they were submitted to the council as part of the planning application in November.

A budget of £7.75m has been allocated to the transport measures from the project budget and a timetable provided in an attempt to persuade committee members that all the plans will be in place for day one of arena opening.

Bouygues UK has been named preferred bidder for the project, should councillors eventually decide to back the project, which some have regarded as a ‘vanity project’ of the directly elected mayor, architect George Ferguson.

Mr Ferguson said: "I’m pleased that we have managed to get the arena plans back to committee within a month. Officers have been pulling out all the stops to provide the additional transport information requested by councillors. I hope that this new report, along with conditions that will be attached to the application, will give them the confidence they require to approve the plans for this vitally important venue for the city region.”

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MPU
MPU

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