Green bid to protect Ashton Vale judgement

Written by Pete Goodwin Friday, 06 May 2011

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Owners may be tempted to start building before a Town Green decision

The Green Party wants the council to make sure that building isn't started on the controversial Ashton Vale stadium site before its status as a Town Green is settled.

Recalling how the landowners trashed protected wildlife habitat on the same land in 2008, the Greens fear that work could be started on the proposed stadium and hospitality complex in spite of an inspector's recommendation that it be designated a Town Green.

Now Cllr Tess Green has written an open letter to the City Council asking for an early decision on the Town Green application, and for a public assurance that the council will intervene in the courts if the landowners should 'forget' the pending Town Green decision and start construction on what may well become common land.

"Any such move by the landowners would increase the risk of violent confrontation in an already tense stand-off between the two sides" said Cllr Green. "It would also put an intolerable burden on the job of the Commons Registration Authority, whose members must look at the issues without prejudice, solely on the legal evidence of past use of the land"

Notes:

  1. Mediation between the Town Green Applicants and the landowners broke down last week, leaving the situation once again for the council (as Commons Registration Authority) to resolve. A council-appointed independent inspector (Ross Crail) has already heard exhaustive evidence from both sides, and concluded that the whole of the land should be registered as a Town Green.

  2. A decision on registration is already difficult for many members of the council, because they have already expressed a view that the land should become a football stadium and associated development, effectively ruling themselves out of making any prejudice-free judgement.

  3. The Greens still consider that Ashton Vale is an inappropriate place for a stadium, and Bristol City should look instead at improving the present Ashton Gate ground, or at ground-sharing on a more suitable site.

  4. The letter is available here . The council's reply will also be included when available.

Contact:

Cllr Tess Green, 0117 377 2070, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it