Filton Brabazon Hangars arena plan set for approval

Bristol City Council has been recommended to approve the plans

Plans for a new 17,000 capacity concert arena near Bristol have been recommended for approval by planners.

The redevelopment of the Brabazon Hangars on Filton Airfield will be carried out by YTL Utilities, which bought the site in 2015.

Managing director Andrew Billingham said: "It should not be underestimated the amount of investments that we've put in to this planning application."

The application will need final approval from the government.

"We've had over 2,000 people come to the hangars and talk about our plans and the overwhelming positivity to what we're trying to do here is fairly significant and gives us all real confidence that this is going to be a real success," added Mr Billingham.

Third largest

The hangars - where the Concorde and Brabazon planes were built - will be transformed into an "entertainment complex" if the plans go ahead.

Central to the scheme is the arena, which will be the third largest in the UK after the O2 in London and the Manchester Arena, with a conference hall on one side, and shops, businesses and leisure facilities on the other.

Four separate applications are being considered which include the redevelopment of the hangars, a new bridge over the railway, road layout changes and a 2,000-space temporary car park.

Planners said the infrastructure will cost about £5m with the developer paying about £3m.

The remaining cost will be shared between South Gloucestershire and Bristol City councils and regional planning body WECA.

The plans go before Bristol City Council's planning committee on 4 March.