PLANS for a new speedway stadium have been given the green light again.

The planning committee last night reaffirmed it’s support to develop the Abbey Stadium near Blunsdon as they unanimously agreed the plans.

The application, which was first approved in September 2008 and hoped to be completed by the 2010 season, was bought back to the planning committee after the recession halted previous plans.

The scheme will see the demolition of the existing 60-year-old stadium and construction of a new stadium, with youth training facilities.

There will also be 450 new homes, office space and a new care home.

The scheme is similar to the previous application with a slight change to overflow car parking provisions following the Park and Ride in Groundwell Road being scrapped.

The stadium will now use an alternative overspill car park at the former Motorola site on significant event days.

Councillor Vera Tomlinson, Conservative ward councillor for Abbey Mead and member of the planning committee, said: “It is essential to guarantee the stadium will be enhanced and protected for the long term and I believe that this stadium does this.”

The council was going to ‘dispose’ of the application back in January because nothing had happened, but Gaming International said it wanted to continue with the proposal.

Clarke Osborne, Chief Executive of Gaming International said previously: “The existing stadium is badly in need of re-development and the only way that we can provide a modern, purpose built facility is through a comprehensive redevelopment of the existing stadium and the adjacent site.

The new stadium will be built to the east of the existing facility, allowing speedway and greyhound racing to continue during the construction period.”

Greyhound racing and the existing covered market will also be catered for in the new stadium complex. The proposals as a whole are expected to create and safeguard nearly 1,000 jobs.