A HIGH Court hearing for Bristol Rovers’ plans to build a new stadium in South Gloucestershire has been delayed.

Bristol Rovers' High Court battle with Sainsbury's over the sale of the Memorial Stadium was due to start today but won't go before judges until a later date.


Bristol Rovers’ plans to build a new £40 million stadium, on University of the West of England (UWE) land, at Stoke Gifford, led to the club pursuing a court case to ensure that supermarket chain Sainsbury’s went through with plans of developing the stadium in Horfield.

The hearing was due to get underway tomorrow, however it has not appeared on the list of hearings to be held at the Royal Courts of Justice in London.


The club needs Sainsbury’s to develop the Memorial Stadium to fund a new 21,700-seater stadium and sought legal action after fears that the supermarket chain was retracting its plans.


At High Court, on Monday, February 9, Mr Justice Roth scheduled the seven day hearing to begin between Monday, May 11 and Friday, May 15 after being told that it is vital for the club to know by June whether it can hold Sainsbury's to a £30m deal to buy the stadium.


Sainsbury’s won planning permission to build a new store in January 2013, and Bristol Rovers are looking to ensure the plans go ahead, and are also seeking damages for alleged breach of agreement by the supermarket.


Sainsbury's say that planning conditions were not met by a cut-off date last year, and that they are entitled to terminate the deal which was to buy the stadium and seek a declaration from the court that the contract with the club is at an end.


The club and supermarket have been involved in a legal battle for months over the planning consent.


At the time of seeking legal action, the club said in a statement: “It is with regret that we have felt it necessary to revert to High Court action to complete our contract with Sainsbury’s but it was felt that this course of action was necessary to allow us to invest in our new stadium at UWE."