News / YTL Arena Bristol
New station ‘has to be open for the arena’
The boss of YTL Arena says the North Filton station “ has to be open for the arena”.
The new station is due to be built next door to the planned arena, the former Brabazon hangars, but construction work has yet to begin.
Andrew Billingham, CEO of YTL Arena Complex, says it is a “key agenda item” but that the discussion of delivery is ongoing, a year after the group gave the same update.
is needed now More than ever
The last reports in 2022 indicated the station would be ready to operate by 2026 but the most recent updates cast doubt over the likelihood of meeting that deadline.
The exterior of the hangar, demonstrates the enormity of the structure – photo: Hannah Massoudi
North Filton station is one of three new stations on the line running between Bristol Temple Meads and Henbury, which includes Ashley Down station due to open on September 28.
Delays to North Filton station have been blamed on several design changes on site such as the footbridge due to be built over the tracks.
The frequency of trains has also been changed over the years, with trains timetabled to run every half an hour, but former mayor Marvin Rees called this proposal “unaffordable”.
CEO Andrew Billingham describing how the hangar is being stripped back to its skeletal frame – photo: Hannah Massoudi
Currently the hangars and surrounding buildings are in decontamination and demolition phase, which will see the venue being carefully stripped back to its frame and removal of asbestos, all while maintaining the integrity of the structure.
The next phase is due to begin in 2025 with removal of cladding. Following that, construction will take two-and-a-half years to complete.
The former Filton airfield is being turned into the Brabazon development, in which the YTL Arena. Overhead view of the site – photo: YTL Development
While work on the arena has been slow, properties around the arena have been springing up, with several already occupied.
Properties on the former Filton airfield – now known as Brabazon – will include up to 6,500 homes, with up to an additional 2,000 bed student housing, 600 extra care retirement properties and up to 1,700 affordable homes.
In a statement to Bristol24/7, Seb Loyn, planning & development director for YTL Developments, said: “Crucially, additional homes and offices will only be built as and when improved public transport connections come forward.
“The proposals submitted today have a series of checks and balance in place to ensure that increased density can only be delivered at the same time as the additional public transport needed to support it.”
The new North Filton railway station is next to the proposed YTL Bristol Arena on the edge of the Brabazon development – image: YTL Developments and Network Rail
On the current works, Billingham says that a “tremendous amount of work is being done”, with roads currently being laid and sewerage, power and data being put it. The last four years have been putting in the work below ground, he says.
Once the arena is open, he reveals that when it’s not in ‘live mode’, they will have a huge bar spanning the full width of the hanger, hosting around 3,000 people with the hopes of putting on student events and smaller music nights.
Despite previous reports of a potential ice rink and sports courts, Billingham clarifies that it is just the landscape design which will help facilitate similar events that organisers may want to host there in the future.
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Reflecting on the progress of the arena, Billingham says: “What we have to recognise is that we’re trying to preserve an 80-year-old building.
“And because it’s absolutely YTL’s goal to repurpose and regenerate what are historically really important hangars for the region, that will be an asset that will be here for another 80 years.
“Part of what we’re working on is that when people come here, they’re really proud of their arena” referencing the community’s ties to the history of the site.
“In the past it was the home of a supersonic aircraft, it will then become the home of supersonic music and entertainment.”
Main photo: Hannah Massoudi
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