Ashton Gate sporting quarter arena and 500 homes approved

The new sporting quarter, designed by architecture firm KKA, will sit next to the existing Ashton Gate Stadium in Bristol

Plans for a new indoor arena and 510 homes in Bristol have been approved.

The Ashton Gate Sporting Quarter will sit directly west of the existing Ashton Gate Stadium and include a hotel, apartments, offices and shops.

Applicant Bristol Sport said it could not go ahead with a new sporting quarter unless it could also build a new housing development nearby.

Bristol City Council approved the two linked applications on Wednesday evening.

Both projects, which are being worked on by architecture firm KKA, will need a final sign off from the government before work can begin.

The Longmoor Village housing scheme will see up to 510 homes built on a meadow near Long Ashton park and ride which is popular with dog walkers and is a haven for wildlife.

Steve Lansdown, owner of Bristol Sport, is hoping to sell the site with planning permission to a housing developer, with the sale of the land to help pay for the sports and convention centre, which will be the new home of the Bristol Flyers basketball team.

The basketball arena will be the new home of the Bristol Flyers and have a capacity of 3,626

Andreas Kapoulas, head coach of the Bristol Flyers, said: "This development represents a huge opportunity for the club and the city, it's a game-changer."

Two five-a-side football pitches will be built on the roof of the arena and existing buildings on the site will be demolished, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

The meadow at Ashton Vale is currently protected as green belt, but the development control committee heard arguments from developers that this protection should be removed due to the benefit of homes and the arena.

However, campaigner Danica Priest told the meeting that the site should be protected.

"Longmoor Village is a disaster waiting to happen. Over 6,000 residents signed a petition to save Ashton Vale.

"Don't let our voices be drowned out by promises of profit, if you do then it will be more than our voices underwater," she said.

Councillors voted unanimously for the sporting quarter, but raised concerns about the Longmoor Village scheme, with five voting in favour, one against, and three abstaining.