In addition to revelations of the new training ground at Failand it was announced at tonights AGM that City will be moving to a new 30,000 seat stadium hoped to be ready in time for the start of the 2011/12 season and certain to be no later than the end of 2012. If a bid as hosts for the World Cup in 2018 is accepted and Bristol is chosen as a venue then capacity would rise to 40,000.
Plans to redevelop the East End at the end of this season have consequently been scrapped. Away fans will have to put up with backless seats for four more seasons.
Speculation about the site of the ground has already begun. All that the club have officially revealed is that the new stadium will be in "South Bristol" and "not too far from Ashton Gate". More detailed studies are expected in January with formal planning permission expected to be applied for in late 2008.
My thoughts turn to the architecture. We don't want a soulless bowl. We want to retain some character but anything approaching the plans presented by Liverpool or Portsmouth (the latter have now been scrapped) would suit me.
The scrapped plans for the East End at Ashton Gate were produced by The Miller Partnership who have designed a proposed new stadium for Dundee. It would look lovely in red! (thanks and apologies to ciderup of FootballForums.net for reproducing his work here)
The Miller Partnership have been involved in the design of many new stadia in Britain including those at Coventry, Derby, Hull, Leicester, Middlesborough Southampton, Stoke and Sunderland. They also designed the new stand at the Brit Oval and the newest one at Nottingham Forest. See more of their amazing stadia here.
The likeliest site appears to be near to Long Ashton Park&Ride and next to the David Lloyd building. City will be looking for investment of between £30m and £40m. Part of that will be achieved by selling off existing assets at Ashton Gate. Chairman Steve Lansdown explained that the next 12 months would entail a lot of hard work drawing up the plans, designing the infrastructure of the stadium and surrounding area and obtaining the necessary investment and planning consent.
More news will become available at bcfc.co.uk