Bristol’s long-awaited arena has received its final go-ahead after clearing its last planning hurdle.
The 12,000 capacity venue was given the green light on Wednesday night by Bristol City Council’s development control committee following a deferral last month to allow for additional transport information to be provided.
Councillors had felt the plans had been brought before them too early and many of the details, particularly around car parking, had been rushed.
Two applications – for the £90m arena itself and outline plans for the rest of Arena Island – were brought back to the committee and received unanimous support.
The detailed planning application for the arena building includes a public plaza and new access routes while the outline application is for the future development of housing, business and leisure uses close to the venue.
The plans were approved with conditions that will need to be discharged before the arena opens.
The new venue will be built on the derelict former diesel depot site, close to Temple Meads station and is due to open in 2018. In February Bristol City Council appointed the UK arm of international construction group Bouygues as preferred bidder to build the arena.
Bouygues has joined the arena design team which includes architects Populous – designers of the London Olympic Stadium and O2 Arena – Bath-based architects Feilden Clegg Bradley and engineering firm BuroHappold.
The UK’s largest arena operator SMG, in partnership with largest international live entertainment company Live Nation, have been named as Preferred Bidder to operate the arena.
