An own goal for Bristol City?
I kick off this blog with a simmering local issue that has whipped Bristol City Football Club, Bristol City Council and the local media into a bubbling frenzy. I suppose it is appropriate since I lost my ‘By George’ column of two and a half years for the Bristol Evening Post. This was because I dared to suggest last July that the paper had been ‘aiding and abetting’ the football club in support of the planning application to build the largest Sainsbury’s store and car park in the South West on the current stadium site at Ashton Gate. This was nothing compared with the witch-hunt that the paper was conducting against those, especially local politicians, who dared to challenge their campaign at the time.
This was on the basis that the sale of the ground would contribute a small minority of the funding (about 15% net) of the new stadium planned on Green Belt to the South West of the City, and thereby bring the World Cup to Bristol! (see ‘By George’ 129 ‘Will they Never Learn?’)
Within a couple of days the brighter members of the planning committee had bravely turned down this terrifying scheme against the officer’s flawed report recommending approval. The Councillors showed themselves to have understanding and courage and suffered disgusting scorn from the local media and others for doing so. This was all reinforced by the ridiculous World Cup hype that was churned out in support, and which cost Bristol ratepayers so dear. To my mind it was always an unlikely scenario.
However things have moved on since. That swathe of Green Belt that Bristol City’s Chairman, Guernsey based Stephen Lansdown, unwisely bought to build his new 30,000 seat stadium, has since been the subject of what appears to be a successful Town Green application by residents of Ashton Vale.
I say ‘appears to be’ only because the Inspector’s recommendation is now the subject of a mediation process that might arrive at some sort of compromise, although nobody could blame the persecuted applicants from digging in their heels after all they have been through. I have to say I am agnostic on the issue, although the proposed ‘big box’ stadium falls sadly short of the ‘world-class’ hype that has been attached to it, but I have tremendous sympathy for the local residents who have suffered outrageous and ignorant abuse for doing what they believe in. It would of course be preferable to see the stadium located in a more sustainable location.
Sainsbury’s in typical fashion has refused to take a clear ‘no’ for an answer and has reapplied for planning permission for its regional superstore, 40% bigger than any other in Bristol, that would swamp the Ashton area with traffic every day of the year, deeply damage the local environment and undermine the spirited independent shopping on nearby North Street.
However, as last time, the oracles do not look good and Sainsbury’s may well prevail with the Damacles sword of a planning inquiry hanging over the heads of the Councillors. This is a typical bullying tactic – reinforced by what appears to be systematic misleading information – see the Seven Myths on the Stop Sainsbury’s website.
The Stop Sainsbury Group are building a strong case against them receiving planning permission this second time round and some football fans could have good reason to be grateful to them.
We now have an extraordinary situation that could result in Bristol City being left high and dry without a home. I am told by the football club that they are contracted to sell to Sainsbury’s subject to them obtaining planning for their superstore.
If Sainsbury’s are successful on March 2nd and the Town Green is later ratified, as currently seems likely, then maybe more Bristol City supporters will start questioning their blind support for a development that will have robbed them of their traditional home at a time when there is no alternative.
The irony of all this is that there is an existing plan for a 30,000 seat stadium with hospitality suites on the existing ground at Ashton Gate. Surely the best solution for everyone is to keep City at its historic home where the disruption is likely to be a lot less than if they are frozen out by frozen food and washing machines and are still searching for a replacement site over the next few years.
Maybe Messrs Lansdown and Co have something up their sleeves in the way of an alternative site, but if they have I would suggest they share this with the fans now or they may find they have considerably less support for flogging their family silver for a supermarket thereby leaving themselves homeless. Let’s hope the brave band of councillors on the planning committee can still save the Club from this ignominy by sending Sainsbury’s packing a second time, and if necessary a third time!
While there are many good reasons for refusal, it is absolutely certain to me that if the Town Green issue has not been resolved in Mr Lansdown’s favour by the time the Sainsbury’s application is considered on 2nd March then it is incumbent on Bristol’s planners to reject this monster superstore on the basis that it would be inappropriate to displace Bristol City from its one and only home for a commercial purpose.
Bristol City may have scored the most embarrassing own goal ever.
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