New station at North Filton/Brabazon, Bristol

[whole diary]

[johnneyw]

Blimey, that was quick!  Now will it help do anything about the previously projected 2026 completion date?

[johnneyw]

Planning permission has been granted for an expanded Filton Keynes..... sorry, Brabazon District.  YTL seem to have persuaded the planning authorities to more densely develop the former airfield with talk of staged developments building transport infrastructure alongside.  The article is thin on detail of what this transport infrastructure will actually be and while the long planned station is mentioned, there is nothing to indicate any increased urgency in it's provision.
Article link below.

https://www.constructionenquirer.com/2024/03/01/plans-expand-for-new-city-district-at-bristol-airfield/

[TonyK]

Within that article, we find this from South Gloucestershire DC^▸ (Direct Current)'s cabinet member for planning:

“We have been working positively with YTL Developments and National Highways to ensure the right infrastructure will be in place."

Not Network Rail, then.

[Red Squirrel]

Preparation Works Begin to Transform Brabazon Hangars into South West's First Arena



Site preparation and enabling work has begun on the transformative project that will breathe new life into the iconic Brabazon Hangars in Bristol. This historic site, once a vital part of Britain's aviation past, is set to be reborn as a leading live entertainment and cultural hub for the South West.

The initial phase of the project began with decontamination of the site carried out by Omega Environmental Services. This will be followed by demolition of non-essential structures before starting the main construction programme.

YTL Construction UK^▸ (United Kingdom), a new company that will be part of the international YTL Group, will be responsible for transforming the historic Brabazon Hangars into the premier music venue for Bristol and the South West, and the fourth largest indoor Arena in the UK. With over 60 years of experience delivering complex and innovative projects across diverse sectors, including rail, infrastructure, performing arts centres, and iconic high-rise developments, the new company will be building on the success of the group model based in Malaysia.

"We're pleased with the progress and are pushing forward, albeit slower than originally planned." says Andrew Billingham, CEO^▸ (Chief Executive Officer) of YTL Arena Bristol. "Handing over the Hangars to Omega represents a pivotal milestone. We have tackled challenges head-on making crucial decisions to expedite the opening while ensuring we deliver one of the premier arenas in Europe. Once main construction has started, we estimate it being a two-and-a-half-year build programme."

...contiunes at source

Source: YTL

[johnneyw]

Two and a half years build/conversion time after all the preparation work is completed with the main structure of the hanger already in situ?  It strikes me as being a rather low priority project for them.

[Red Squirrel]

To be fair, there’s an awful lot of work to do…

…but some cynics have suggested that the ‘enabling’ work is just a fairly cheap way to give the impression that something is happening when in reality not much is.

[johnneyw]

YTL quite possibly don't want the arena to open before the railway station is up and running so the timescale of the former may just reflect the timescale of the latter..

[Noggin]

Isn't there quite a lot of asbestos and contamination to get rid of first?

[Red Squirrel]

Yes there is. But the cost of doing this is a rounding error compared to YTL’s overall investment.

[Western Pathfinder]

Hope there's someone on site that understands the door opening protocol,as I recall the main doors are temperature dependant and must only be opened below a set wind speed

[TonyK]

Hope there's someone on site that understands the door opening protocol,as I recall the main doors are temperature dependant and must only be opened below a set wind speed

I know what you mean. I wasn't allowed to fly from there with a crosswind component above 17 knots.

[Red Squirrel]

With four days to go before outline planning permission expires, YTL have submitted a fairly lightweight application for the Bristol Arena:

https://pa.bristol.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=SCK2NXDNFOJ00

A cynic would say that they are doing the bare minimum to keep this scheme alive...

[TonyK]

With four days to go before outline planning permission expires, YTL have submitted a fairly lightweight application for the Bristol Arena:

https://pa.bristol.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=documents&keyVal=SCK2NXDNFOJ00

A cynic would say that they are doing the bare minimum to keep this scheme alive...

A bigger cynic could say that the bare minimum will drag on for a bit, then found not to be practical as an arena given all the houses so close to it, and could we have the OK to demolish the decaying remains of the Brab for Elfan Safety, and build a couple more thousand homes instead please?

[johnneyw]

Bristol 24/7 reports that Metro Major Dan (for now) is announcing the opening of Filton/Brabazon station next year.  I wonder though if the tone of the press release would have been quite so confident if he knew that he would still in that post in 2026?
Here's the article:

https://www.bristol247.com/news-and-features/news/new-train-station-next-future-bristol-arena-open-2026/

[Red Squirrel]

It does seem ambitious. The MCA’s website talks of an ‘accelerated’ programme:

https://www.westofengland-ca.gov.uk/news/mayor-welcomes-2-billion-investment-for-region/

Ashley Down Station took about 15 months from mobilisation on site to main works completion, so it is possible if mobilisation plans are well advanced. But without Henbury terminus in place, how would Brabazon be served? Others with a better understanding of track and signalling may have a view on this…