Bristol Arena

[AJR]

From thisisbristol.co.uk

http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/displayN ... K=12844988

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People will be asked for their views in the autumn on Bristol's long-awaited arena, which is expected to be built on a derelict site near Temple Meads railway station. Plans are being drawn up for the nine-acre site next to the A4 Bath Road and which was previously used as railway sidings.

The 10,000-seat arena will provide a venue for top pop and rock concerts, as well as sporting events such as ice hockey and basketball, and will also act as a conference centre.

After a public consultation exercise is completed, the developers will revise the plans before submitting a formal planning application, which is expected to take place at some point next year. A second round of consultation will be undertaken before city councillors can decide whether to grant consent.

Peter Holloway, regeneration manager with the South West Redevelopment Agency, said: "Since the spring, the South West RDA and the city council have been working closely with our partners at Bristol Waterside Arena Ltd to develop the masterplan and finalise the financial arrangements for the project.

"The work is going well and is on track for us to start consultation work on the plans in the late autumn so we can apply for planning permission in 2006."

The target date for opening the arena, which will be the centrepiece of a ú150 million regeneration project, is Christmas 2008. Homes, offices and leisure facilities are planned as part of the complex.

A new entrance is expected to be built in Cattle Market Road with a bridge over the River Avon. A consortium was named in March which will build and run the ú40 million arena.

Bristol Waterside Arena Ltd is made up of four firms led by Orion Land and Leisure Ltd and includes SMG (Europe) Ltd, Bellway PLC and Sir Robert McAlpine. Philadelphia-based SMG is the world's leading arena operator. It runs the Manchester Evening News arena and Metro Radio Arena in Newcastle.

[madhattie]

A new entrance is expected to be built in Cattle Market Road with a bridge over the River Avon.

I don't know if you know this area of Bristol too well (excellent pics of the cattle market pub notwithstanding!) but the whole area around Feeder Road/Cattle Market Road, Albert Rd and Crescent are, how shall I say it, errrm, rough... and while the arena is much needed and to be applauded, I can't help think that anyone from out of town who ends up driving around that part of Bristol is going to wonder what kind of ghetto they're entering and how many wheels their vehicles will have when they return to them.

I also wonder, because I've not seen it mentioned yet, if there's going to be a connection from the arena to Temple Meads? If there's going to be, and if the arena starts to attract the top names in entertainment, then it could possibly help all the local stations around the Bristol area as trains are run to events at it.

(do i sound like I've had too much sun on my head today... )