Vice Chancellor backs the Mayor’s decision to scrap the Bristol arena plans
By Zoë Crowther, Students' Union Correspondent
On September 4, councillors officially agreed to withdraw the plan for the Bristol arena to be built in the city centre.
They have instead proposed a ‘mixed development’ on the Temple Island site which will include a hotel, housing, multiple retail outlets, office space and a conference centre.
Vice Chancellor Hugh Brady has written an open letter calling for an acceptance of the Mayor Marvin Rees’ decision: 'Now that a decision has been made, I support the Mayor’s call to look forward and to work together to ensure Bristol is a thriving, well-connected city.'
“Now that a decision has been made I support the Mayor’s call to look forward and to work together to ensure Bristol is a thriving, well-connected city,”
— Bristol University (@BristolUni) September 25, 2018
Professor Hugh Brady, our VC, on moving forward together after the arena decision. #BristolArena https://t.co/YA29lwNroE
The University of Bristol also has investments in the area. The new £300m Temple Quarter campus is expected to open in 2022, and will be situated next to the development complex on Temple Island.
Bristol is the largest city in the UK without a large arena venue, making the plans for an arena a contentious issue across the area. Conservative and Lib Dem councillors have asked for the Mayor to reconsider the city centre plans, arguing that hundreds of jobs could depend on the project.
No, #Bristol needs to get behind people like @FearStephen and build a city centre @bristolarenal which everyone from everywhere can get to to and helps 1000s of #Bristol based companies including hotels, hospitality and retail and markets https://t.co/3PvAtqYwEh
— BristolPeople (@iBristolPeople) September 25, 2018
Rees has said that he would be open to proposals in order to rescue the scheme, which, according to a report by KPMG, could create £500m of economic benefit for Bristol.
The Vice Chancellor argues that the opportunity for investment on Temple Island should not be wasted, and that going ahead with the ‘mixed development’ project is the best course forward.
Brady also alluded to Bristol’s reputation as a historical hub for architecture and engineering: 'Brunel and Brabazon were, in many ways, emblematic of Bristol ambition and achievements on the world-stage in decades past.
'How fitting it would be if, together, they now become synonymous with Bristol’s contemporary ambition to develop the state-of-the-art infrastructure that secures Bristol’s future international reputation over the decades to come.'
Featured image: Bristol City Council