Bristol City finally begin £162m stadium project after eight-year delay

Bristol City's long-awaited Ashton Gate Sporting Quarter has finally moved into the construction phase, with demolition and site clearance now underway after more than eight years of planning and delays.

The £162m project will transform the area surrounding Ashton Gate, delivering a new arena for Bristol Flyers alongside a hotel, convention centre and public spaces as Bristol Sport looks to create one of the UK's leading multi-sport venues.

Eight years of delays finally come to an end

After years of setbacks, work has officially begun on one of the most ambitious stadium developments in English sport.

Plans for the Sporting Quarter were first revealed in September 2018 before updated designs followed in February 2020, with Bristol City Council eventually approving the scheme in October 2022.

Construction was initially expected to begin in 2023, but legal challenges surrounding a separate housing development at nearby Ashton Vale delayed progress.

Demolition and site clearance will now continue over the coming months, with Bristol Sport confirming that sustainability will remain a key focus throughout the project.

More than 85% of materials removed from the site will be recycled and reused as part of the development's ambition to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent' environmental rating.

Environmental protection is also being prioritised, with licensed ecologists supervising demolition after extensive surveys were carried out to monitor nesting birds, bats and other protected wildlife around the site.

Funded by Bristol Sport owner Steve Lansdown, together with proceeds from nearby land sales, the Sporting Quarter will include a new 5,000-seat arena for Bristol Flyers, a convention centre, a 232-room hotel, office space, a multi-storey car park and improved public areas.

The development will also form part of a wider regeneration project, with a new urban village, known as Longmoor, set to be built around 500 metres from Ashton Gate.

FGG says: A positive step after years of frustration

After almost a decade of delays, Bristol Sport can finally point to visible progress on one of the country's most ambitious stadium developments.

There is still plenty of work ahead, but simply getting shovels in the ground is a huge moment for Bristol City, Bristol Bears and Bristol Flyers, with the Sporting Quarter set to transform Ashton Gate into one of the UK's leading multi-sport destinations.