Sainsbury's Ashton Gate decision committee is changed

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

Five new councillors will help decide on a controversial application to build a new Sainsbury's supermarket on Ashton Gate football ground in Bristol.

Seven members of the city council's 10-person development control committee have ruled themselves out of the vote.

One of the people who has decided not to take part in the committee's decision is the chairman Simon Rayner.

Councillors Guy Poultney, Tim Kent, Sylvia Doubell, Trevor Blythe and Patrick Hassell will sit in.

Mr Rayner, Sean Beynon, Fi Hance, Cheryl Ann, Jos Clark, Pete Levy and Tessa Green are the councillors who are standing aside.

Trader impact

Tessa Green, the council's only Green party representative, will not be replaced on the new panel.

City council planners have already recommended the supermarket be refused permission, partially because of the impact on surrounding traders in Bedminster.

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

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.

Although approval for a new stadium at Ashton Vale has already been granted, 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.

The final decision on the Sainsbury's development is due to be made at the council committee meeting on Wednesday.