Bristol Arena project in doubt following review

Plans for Bristol Arena have been suspended following a "value-for-money review" by the local authority.

Bristol City Council says building the arena to its current design on the proposed site will "cost significantly more" than the last estimate of £123m.

Mayor Marvin Rees says he remains "100% committed" to the arena despite preliminary works being "paused".

The review has now been extended to look at other locations, designs and opportunities for private finance.

One site being considered is the former Brabazon hangar at Filton, which was used for the construction of aeroplanes after World War Two.

Colin Skellett, chairman of YTL Developments which owns the site, cited the area's good transport links, and said there is space within the hangars to build an arena "at a better price than the Temple Meads development".

He added "the intention [at Temple Meads] was that there would be parking linked to the station development... we have to look at what is affordable, and we are happy to play a part to see if the Filton site would work".

Bristol City Council has so far spent more than £9m on preparing the original site next to Temple Meads station for development, however the project has been beset by delays and spiralling costs.

The council contracted construction firm Buckingham Group earlier in the year to carry out preliminary works on the 12,000-seat venue.

Mr Rees said: "I remain 100% committed to delivering an arena for Bristol and with this in mind it is right to look at every available option, along with the benefits and drawbacks of each.

"We can't commit to the current design on this specific site at any cost and I wouldn't want that kind of blinkered approach to become the arena's undoing."

The former elected mayor George Ferguson, who initiated the arena project, described the decision as "madness".

He said: "It's a great project in the right place and will more than pay for itself - just get on with it or Bristol will be badly left behind."

Bristol City Council said the current target is to open the arena in 2020 and it remains committed to this date.

A spokesman added that "will depend on what options are recommended by the council's consultants and what future decisions are made".