New details of arena at Filton near Bristol released

More details have emerged about plans for a Bristol arena, which rival a city centre development.

YTL Arena wants to build at the Brabazon hangars, at the former Filton airfield, five miles from the centre.

It said it could house between 12,000 and 17,000 people - and would be larger than a planned city centre arena.

The Buckingham Group wanted to build next to Temple Meads station, but this was halted after the mayor said the land could be better used.

A full planning application would be submitted in the coming months, according to YTL.

Andrew Billingham, from the organisation, said he hoped the venue would open "within the next four years".

He said compared to a city centre site, there was more space "so you could attract some of the biggest shows to Bristol".

The plans for a 12,000-seat venue at Temple Meads date back to 2012. The project had been dogged by delays and rising costs.

Two designs had been shortlisted, but the city's elected mayor, Marvin Rees, said that while he was committed to the idea of a city arena, he felt the Temple Meads site was too small and could be better used for hotels, conference centres, and housing.

YTL said it would be working with Grimshaw, in partnership with Manica Architecture, and also with landscape architects Grant Associates and planning consultants Avison Young, to modify the Brabazon hangars.

It is part of a wider development of the 380-acre, which will see more than 2,600 new homes, workplaces and a town centre being built.

Keith Brewis, from Grimshaw, said the venue "would feel full" with anything between 12,000 to 17,000 people.

"I think a lot of arenas and stadia are quite generic now," he said.

"I think if people can leave remembering that this was unique, remembering that there was something quite special within the Brabazon hangars, if people walked away with that memory, I think we would have done our job."