Bristol Rovers given green light to press ahead with training ground plan

Bristol Rovers have this afternoon been given the green light to press ahead with plans for a new training ground in Almondsbury.The club have acquired a 29-acre site on Colony Farm in Hortham Lane and have proposed to carry through to completion on a historical planning application that was approved in 1998 for the ‘erection of clubhouse, floodlights and store’. Rovers are named as the applicant and have been seeking the green light to carry through to completion on a historical planning application that was approved for the ‘erection of clubhouse, floodlights and store.’ The plan also includes ‘construction of vehicular and pedestrian access and car park’.Planning permission for a similar use of the site was granted in 2001 but the development of training facilities by Bristol Combination Trustees – the original applicant – was never completed and the land, which currently has marked out football pitches, has since been used to house local amateur football clubs.The club’s decision to see the project through to completion was dependent on the removal of two conditions that were attached to the original planning permission that prohibited use of the facilities before 6pm during school term time.They also submitted justification for the removal of a condition that limits use of the site only to the previous applicant for non-professional and Under 18s matches unless a written request for consent is submitted to the council.The case officer, Helen Ainsley, recommended in a report published a fortnight ago that Rovers’ application to remove the conditions should be granted following a three-month public consultation period. The club then had to wait until last Thursday at 5pm for further objections that would have seen the plan put before a planning committee on December 21.