Planners recommend supermarket plan be turned down

The sale of the land would help fund Bristol City's move to a new stadium

Planners have recommended a new Sainsbury's supermarket in Bristol be refused permission.

The supermarket chain wants to build on the current ground of Bristol City Football Club at Ashton Gate.

The store would help fund a move to a proposed new 30,000-seater stadium at nearby Ashton Vale which has already been granted planning permission.

A final decision on the scheme will be made by councillors at a meeting on Wednesday, 2 March.

In July, councillors rejected the original plans for what would have been the South West's biggest supermarket before revised plans were submitted in November.

Approval for a new stadium at Ashton Vale has already been granted but work has been held up after an independent planner recommended the area become a town green.

A study by property consultancy GVA, which was commissioned by the city council, found the negative retail impact of the store on nearby Bedminster would outweigh any benefits.

However, Sainsbury's said the report did not take into account benefits of the proposal such as investment, job opportunities and regeneration.