Bristol Arena Island Applications Approved by Bristol City Council

Following an intensive year of work by CSJ as planning agent, permission has now been granted for the long awaited Bristol Arena.  Bristol City Councillors unanimously approved the 12,000 capacity venue at the evening planning committee on 6th April.

With a projected cost of ￡92.5 million, the Arena is due to open in 2018.  Initially deferred at the March committee due to councillor’s concerns on congestion, CSJ coordinated revised transport measures and updated plans including Park-and-Ride sites and GWR providing additional public transport services on event days.

The full planning permission will deliver the Arena, public plaza, A4 Bath Road link and 45 permanent disabled and 200 temporary surface level parking spaces.  The simultaneous outline consent on adjacent land, establishes the principle of up to 19,000sqm of complimentary uses (offices, houses, retail) with active ground floor frontages.

CSJ Director Andrew Beard’s address to Committee focussed on two key elements:

• Conformity of proposals with the Development Plan and the Enterprise Zone objectives; and
• The overall positive planning balance of social, economic and environmental factors within the city centre.

The next significant planning phase will be the discharge of planning conditions with Bouygues UK, recently appointed as the Arena contractor. They are expected to begin construction works in Summer 2016 utilising a high proportion of local labour in their workforce.

This major project adds to a long list of CSJ projects which have spearheaded the regeneration and redevelopment of central Bristol.