YTL Arena Bristol opening feet-dragging



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Further delays for YTL Arena Image: YTL Arena

New images and a new insight into the plans for the vast arena being converted from the Brabazon Hangar at Filton (Bristol, UK) have been revealed by the architects tasked with designing the venue – but it appears the opening date is still at least another two and a half years away.

‘BristolLive’ stated that while the YTL Arena Bristol in Southmead, Bristol (UK) bosses have not provided a predicted opening date and the project’s website still has “late 2025 or early 2026” as its projected completion date. New information sent by the YTL Arena Bristol to the Bristol City Council (the local authority for the City of Bristol in South West England) indicates that the arena is unlikely to be completed before the end of 2027 and may well not be open now until 2028.

The Brabazon Hangar is a group of three steel bays in Filton, South Gloucestershire, England (UK). It was built to construct the Bristol Type 167 Brabazon Airliner which was intended to be the world’s largest civil airliner. The hangars are now being converted into the YTL Arena Complex which will include a 19,000-capacity arena, a festival hall and a food and drink area.

The 19,000-capacity YTL Arena Bristol is a proposed indoor arena and entertainment complex in Bristol, England (UK). It will be built in the former Brabazon hangars at the Filton Airfield. The arena will host a variety of events including music, comedy, sport, and theater.

‘BristolLive’ further stated that the latest official word from the YTL Arena on its website was an update in March 2024 from the Chief Executive of the YTL Arena Bristol Andrew Billingham that the arena in Filton should be open at some point in “late 2025 or early 2026”. However, later in 2024, it was revealed that the timescale acknowledged by the YTL Arena’s Chief Executive would mean the opening date would not be until 2027. Billingham said the construction and conversion phase to create the arena from the three vast aircraft hangars would take two and a half years from the point that decontamination and demolition works to prepare the site had been completed.

Now, new information provided by the YTL’s bosses to the Council planners indicate it could well be 2028 before the first events are held there. In December 2024, the YTL submitted a new planning application to update the plans and amend what the final design of the façade and the roof of the huge structure – said to be the biggest single building in Bristol – will look like.

The planning application was submitted to the Bristol City Council as the Brabazon hangar lies just inside the City boundary of Bristol with the former airfield runway lying within South Gloucestershire. The City Hall planners validated the application and just before Christmas people living around the hangar being issued with letters advising them of the proposed changes.

The planning application came with a cover letter from YTL’s Planning and Development Manager. He told the Council planners the work to prepare the buildings for the conversion was still progressing and the tweaks to the design of the arena’s look signaled the start “in earnest” of the work to actually create the arena.

The letter told the planners work to remove all the asbestos from the three linked hangars has finally been completed and they would now be moving to the “demolition phase” in the New Year. That will see parts of the complex that won’t be needed for the conversion removed to make way for the arena building. With the conversion and building work due to take two and a half years from the point where that demolition phase is complete depending on how long the demolition phase takes in the coming months it puts the completion date into late 2027 at the earliest and more likely 2028.

Meanwhile, the architects for the project, Grimshaw, has shared their insight into the project over the Christmas and New Year period with new images and new information on their own website revealing more detail about what the YTL Arena will be like once it is eventually finished.

London (UK)-based Grimshaw Architects is a global design practice engaged in architecture, master planning and industrial design. The practice is dedicated to the deepest level of involvement in the design of their buildings in order to deliver projects which meet the highest possible standards of excellence. The company’s work is characterized by strong conceptual legibility, innovation and a rigorous approach to detailing all underpinned by the principles of humane, enduring and sustainable design.

Stated a spokesperson, “The YTL’s unique brief to us seeks to turn three disused aircraft hangars on Bristol’s Filton Airfield into a multipurpose live music and entertainment arena capable of staging a variety of events including concerts, numerous sports, theater, and comedy. The project will create a destination of very real significance for the City – an arena, exhibition and leisure space all under one roof. The 19,000-capacity arena, the third largest in the United Kingdom, will occupy the Central Hangar. The East Hangar will house a festival hall tailored to accommodate conventions, exhibitions and large-scale events. The West Hangar provides a hub space for small start-up creative enterprises complete with leisure facilities, food and drink outlets. We are working with MANICA Architecture to design a progressive and adaptable facility whilst carefully retaining the industrial spirit of the historic hangars which showcase Bristol’s engineering reputation to provide an internationally unique venue.”

Kansas City (US)-based MANICA Architecture provides its clients with the unique combination of large-scale project experience and the personality and creativity of a boutique international design studio. Unlike many large architectural firms that specialize in projects of similar scale MANICA is dedicated to ensuring that all of its clients are given the personal attention and unparalleled expertise they deserve.

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