Bristol City World Cup dream suffers another setback

September 16 – Bristol City’s hopes of hosting World Cup matches in 2018 if England are awarded the tournament have receeded even further after their bid to build a new stadium at Ashton Vale suffered another blow.

Campaigners living near the proposed new stadium on the border with North Somerset won a battle to have the 42-acre site designated as a town green and hence protected from development.

Earlier this year, Bristol City Council’s Development Control Committee rejected plans to build a Sainsbury’s superstore at Ashton Gate, the club’s current ground which they were hoping to sell to help fund the new stadium.

The club’s chairman Steve Lansdown, though, has pledged not to give up on the £92 million ($144 million) stadium but, if the town green status is now approved and registered by Brisol City Council, it would effectively rule out any development on the site for ever.

Lansdown said: “The message is that we will do everything we can to get the stadium.

“I would not be human if I didn’t feel at times that I should give up.

“But one of the points to bear in mind is that I’ve invested a lot of money in this site and I want to retain the value of the land.

“I bought the land in good faith but if it loses its value because town green status is granted, then it’s tantamount to theft.”

He said the future of the stadium was now in the Council’s hands as they had to make a decision whether to grant town green status.

he said: ”If they say Yes or No, then at least we will know exactly where we stand.

“I have long felt that the City both deserves and wants a stadium that can attract major events and be the centre of the local community.

“It would also be a major catalyst to the regeneration of South Bristol.

“That’s always been my vision for this project, a vision which is now in jeopardy but not one which I am prepared to give up on.”

The independent inspector, Ross Crail held a two-week public hearing in May.

She says in her report that she based her finding on the oral evidence of 22 residents who appeared to her to be honest and “did not give the impression of exaggerating their personal use”.

A statement was issued on behalf of the residents who did not want to be individually named as they claim some of them have received threats and suffered property damage such as slashed tyres.

The statement said: “The applicants are not green campaigners or politicians or paid advisors. They are just ordinary people who live in Ashton Vale.”