March 12 – Bristol City’s hopes of being able to build a new £92 million stadium in time for the World Cup in 2018 if England’s bid to host the tournament is successful has moved an important step closer.
Local Government Secretary John Denham has decided he does not need to make a final decision on the issue and therefore a public inquiry will not have to be held into the proposed stadium at Ashton Vale.
An inquiry would have taken up to a year to complete and therefore delayed a start on building work - assuming that it found in the club’s favour.
Colin Sexstone, the club’s chief executive, hailed the decision as an important step forward.
He said: “This is great news and another major hurdle overcome.
“The decision by GOSW (Government Office South West) and the Secretary of State to let Bristol City Council determine the application is a significant step forward.
“It has been the culmination of nearly two years of hard work to bring the project to this stage.
“Other important hurdles remain, and more hard work will be required from ourselves and other partners, but this is a huge milestone for us.
“Bristol is also a candidate host city in England’s bid to host the FIFA World Cup in 2018, and so this decision is further evidence of our ability to produce a technical bid that exceeds FIFA’s expectations.
“We do also understand the local sensitivity of the new stadium and are making determined efforts to engage with the local communities so there is greater understanding about the project and we can all move forward together.”
City Councillors gave their overwhelming support to the stadium plans last month.
But the scheme had to be put before the Secretary of State because the site for the new stadium is designated as green belt.
The club, though, still has three major hurdles to overcome before it can be certain that the plan will go ahead.
They still need planning permission from North Somerset Council for a new entrance next to the Long Ashton park and ride site, a planning application by Sainsbury’s to move its store from its Winterstoke Road site to Ashton Gate so that the finance can be raised to build the new stadium and overcome a call from residents in Ashton Vale to be given town green status which would effectively overrule planning permission and stop the new stadium from being built.
The club is working to a target of kicking off the 2012-13 season at Ashton Vale.
Bristol’s Deputy Douncil Leader Simon Cook said: “This is great news for Bristol and the club.”
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