PLANS for a 21,700-seater at the University of the West of England have today been approved by South Gloucestershire Council.

The authority’s development control west committee gave the go ahead for Bristol Rovers to build the stadium along with offices, a supporters’ bar, media study centre, gym, convenience store, club shop, teaching space and a 1,000-space car park.

Councillors voted 12 to 1 in favour of the plans, the first stadium in South Gloucestershire, despite residents’ concerns over safety and parking problems.

Szabolcs Rugonfalvi said: “I am really concerned about the safety of ours children and our houses with 20,000 extra visitors on any occasion when sports or anything else is taking place.”

Barbara Pitts called for a retractable roof to be a condition of the planning permission, but her suggestion was said to be unnecessary by planning officer Helen Ainsley.

Recommending the plans for approval, Cllr Matthew Riddle (Con, Severn) said: “Obviously this is going to be a great asset for South Gloucestershire but at the same time it will have an impact on residents, especially those who live very close to the site.

“I believe that a huge amount of work by the club and our officers do mitigate those concerns and that the issues raised in consultations have been addressed.”

The committee imposed a long list of conditions including that the club must set up two monitoring groups to assess the impact on residents and on traffic.

Rovers chairman Nick Higgs told the Gazette after the meeting at Bradley Stoke Community School: “We are thrilled by the decision.

“Twelve to one is an almost unanimous verdict and I think it demonstrates the hard work put in by my team and all the consultation we have carried out.

“We are here for the long haul and we want to be good neighbours.”

But the construction of the stadium is still a long way off, as Rovers need Bristol City Council to approve plans for a new Sainsburys supermarket on the site of its current home, the Memorial Stadium in Horfield.

Added Mr Higgs: “To coin a football phrase, it is half time and we are winning at the moment. We have got to get to full time yet.”