Bristol Rovers president hails St Philips fruit market site update ‘a big milestone’ for possible new stadium

The owner of Bristol Rovers has welcomed the news that investment company Conygar Bristol Limited has exchanged contracts with Wholesale Bristol Fruit Market land at St Philips Marsh.

Club President Wael Al Qadi called the announcement ‘a big milestone in our journey for a new stadium’ as the prospect of Bristol Rovers relocating to the area behind Temple Meads railway station in the future seemed increasingly likely.

“We have been in positive discussions with the team at Conygar for two-and-a-half years and we are delighted that they have now formally secured a deal for the site,” said Wael Al Qadi.

“We look forward to working with them to finalise our agreement, whilst maintaining the long-term future of Bristol Rovers Football Club.”

Bristol Rovers Football Club is supportive of this development and we welcome the news today of the contract exchange. The club said the regeneration of St Philip’s Marsh ‘represents a great opportunity for the region and the football club’.

A statement posted on the club’s website added: “Bristol City Council and its partners, including West of England Combined Authority (WECA) and Homes England, consider St. Philip’s Marsh to be an exciting opportunity to develop a low-carbon place to live, work and spend time.

“The club shares the aspirations set out in the Bristol Temple Quarter Development Framework and looks forward to working with the Council and its partners to make these a reality.

“Over the next few months, we will work with Conygar to play our part in creating a vision for the site that supports the needs of the city as well as ensuring that we protect the long-term interests of the football club.

“Bristol Rovers Football Club has been a part of these discussions for the past two-and-a-half years and we will now work with Conygar to finalise the plans unlocking the potential of the site for the city and the football club.”

Greg Miller Cheevers, CEO of Conygar, said: “St. Philip’s Marsh and the Fruit Market site hold exciting possibilities that could help to transform this area into something positive for the city. We have been in discussion with Bristol Rovers for a significant time.

“These discussions between Conygar and the club are meaningful and ongoing and I look forward to continuing to work with Wael and the club to finalise a solution that works for all parties.”

Conygar holds substantial experience in multi-million-pound regeneration schemes. These schemes include Island Quarter in Nottingham City Centre – a mixed-use scheme for over three million square feet to include new homes, life sciences, grade A office space, creative market, a lifestyle hotel, retail units, student accommodation and associated public realm.