A significant milestone has been reached in the delivery of the Ashton Gate Sporting Quarter, the future home arena of Bristol Flyers, with demolition and site clearance now underway.

Following the removal of materials from within the existing buildings, work has now begun to carefully dismantle the former Nationwide Platforms hangar, marking the first visible stage in transforming the site.

Over the coming months, demolition and clearance will take place, with a strong focus on sustainability. More than 85% of demolished materials will be recycled and reused as part of the development’s ambition to achieve a BREEAM ‘Excellent’ rating – the world’s leading sustainability certification for the built environment.

Environmental protection remains a key priority throughout the process. Demolition works are being supervised by a licensed ecologist, who will continue to monitor the site for nesting birds, bats and other protected wildlife before any structures are removed, following extensive ecological surveys already completed.

Bristol Flyers CEO Lisa Knights said: “The start of demolition at the Sporting Quarter marks a hugely exciting moment for the future of Bristol Flyers.

“Having a home for the Flyers alongside Ashton Gate will provide the club with the opportunity it needs to grow. A new arena based at BS3 will see us expand on our ambitions not just for our men’s first team but the club as a whole and our work in the community.”

Ashton Gate Sporting Quarter Chairman Martin Griffiths said: “We are delighted to start demolition of the existing structures. Many of our staff and consultants working on this scheme so far are based locally, meaning we’re already putting money and jobs into the local economy before we’ve even started.”

The Section 73 planning application, which seeks minor amendments to the previously consented scheme, remains under consideration by Bristol City Council. Further updates will be shared as the project reaches future milestones.