Bristol Rovers president Wael Al-Qadi says the club are “moving in the right direction” regarding their proposed plans to build a new stadium at St Philip’s Marsh after the Conygar Investment Company confirmed they’ve acquired the option to explore planning for the 14.7 acre Fruit Market site.
It was in August 2019 when Wael Al-Qadi, on the eye of the 2019/20 season at Blackpool’s Bloomfield Road, first revealed the Gas were looking at that site as their best option for a new permanent home. Almost a year after first publicly confirming they had entered a “non-binding agreement”, developers Conygar have exchanged conditional contracts with Wholesale Bristol Fruit Market and their various plans for the development will now enter the planning process.
The £450,000 option Conygar has purchased from the current shareholders is conditional until March 31, 2024, that a planning application is made in that time.
Simultaneous with Conygar’s confirmation, Rovers released a four-minute video with archive footage down the years and a bird’s eye view of Bristol with the camera zooming from the Mem to the Fruit Market to the east of the city. In a voiceover, Wael Al-Qadi said: “It’s absolutely vital and important for this club to have a new modern stadium. It’s a big project but we are moving in the right direction.”
A statement from Rovers read: “Bristol Rovers Football Club is supportive of this development and we welcome the news today of the contract exchange. The regeneration of St Philip’s Marsh represents a great opportunity for the region and the football club.
“Bristol City Council and its partners, including West of England Combined Authority (WECA) and Homes England, consider St. Philip’s Marsh to be an exciting opportunity to develop a low-carbon place to live, work and spend time. The club shares the aspirations set out in the Bristol Temple Quarter Development Framework and looks forward to working with the Council and its partners to make these a reality.
“Over the next few months, we will work with Conygar to play our part in creating a vision for the site that supports the needs of the city as well as ensuring that we protect the long-term interests of the football club.
“Bristol Rovers Football Club has been a part of these discussions for the past two-and-a-half years and we will now work with Conygar to finalise the plans unlocking the potential of the site for the city and the football club.”
Conygar’s plans are said to include a large-scale housing and urban development containing hotels, restaurants and other leisure facilities. Should negotiations with Rovers prove successful, Bristol Live understands there is a provision for a stadium with an initial capacity in the region of 17,000-20,000 with options to expand.
“Over the next few months, we intend to create a vision for the site and then hold a wide- ranging conversation with residents and stakeholders about the exciting possibilities that could help to transform this area,” a statement from Conygar read, acknowledging Rovers' involvement for the first time.
“Bristol Rovers Football Club has publicly expressed an interest in this site and discussions between Conygar and BRFC are meaningful and ongoing. A conversation with residents and stakeholders to make sure our combined vision reflects the aspirations for Temple Quarter of the Council and its partners will form an important part of the process going forward.”
Rovers have been nomadic since leaving their Eastville home in 1986, as the Gas were based at Twerton Park for 10 years before moving to the Memorial Stadium where they have remained since 1996.
However, the ground has its limitations, not only in terms of space to develop and the various lines of sight restrictions, but as a driver of revenue. The long-term plan, of course, is that Rovers will have a modern stadium with infrastructure to help drive the club on and off the field.
Part of the negotiations with Conygar will include discussions around the Mem, and the land its situated on in Horfield, which represents another considerable and desirable part of Bristol for development.
"We have been in discussion with Bristol Rovers for a significant time," Conygar CEO Greg Miller Cheevers said. "These discussions between Conygar and the club are meaningful and ongoing and I look forward to continuing to work with Wael and the club to finalise a solution that works for all parties."
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