Thanks for your replies everyone especially lanceloto for your long reply. That's a really good point about the talks being private, I don't see why we can't all know what's going on because the decision to have the entire site a town green or not will matter to lots of people not just the really local residents. Although I can appreciate why the residents wanted to remain anonymous. Why would they want to debate the issue with a load of meathead football fans who don't care about anything other than their precious club? It wouldn't have been a debate, it would have been a shouting match and by sheer numbers they'd have lost! I think the idea to have some of the site for the stadium and some as a nice landscaped area is good. If the area is developed with nice walks and wildlife & wetland areas then it would probably attract lots of non-football fans from further afield too, the sort who go to Ashton Court for a walk or a picnic now. But I don't agree with you about it being like stealing the site from BCFC. I think mr lansdown knew exactly what he was doing when he bought that land and it really annoyed me when he said afterward that it was theft! If you buy greenbelt land cheap because the presumption is AGAINST building on it you can't then moan about not getting planning permission. That's the risk in buying greenbelt land. It was a gamble and so far, he's lost. If he'd been able to get plannign and sell the land on then he'd have made a huge profit. He knew the risks and the rewards. I'd guess that his mates at the council told him they'd have no problem with him building all over the site and to carry on, and then the local residents surprised them all with the town green win. I dont' feel at all sorry for Mr Lansdown and his cynical pr campaign for the stadium on the back of the World CUp bid annoyed me too.

The situation as far as I can make out is this...

The area has not been declared Town green, It has been recommended by one lady that it could be declared so.

The facts are these, If the full site is declared a town green, It would essentially be stealing 42 acres from BCFC and gifting it to the few hundred (not a big ammount Even of those living just in Ashton Vale) Campaigners, of these campaigners (if you read the report) the inspector didnt believe the claims of alot of them!

That said there is obviously evidence for an area of space to be left un developed for the use of the public and those that use the area for dog walking, We can assume that the campaigners were not happy with being given 8 acres (about 2 times the size of the average town green) of managed wetlands and wildlife area including paths and benches, and are holding out for more.

The reality is that there is NO WAY that a whole !! 42 !! Acre site would succefully be given town green after a court appeal esspecially after so few managed to prove they use it.

What I have found so annoying is how these people have acted through the whole process. Kept anonymous during the application, refused to take part in debates, etc... and now they are holding 'private' talks, that we mere mortals arent privy. A development (and subsequent decision) with this importance should be put to a city wide (possibly including East-North Somerset) vote,

These campaigners should not be allowed to wield so much power, especially anonymously.

i suggest asking lansdown. property deals are just that, property deals.

It doesn't make much sense does it, maybe there is money involved. Call me an old cynic!!