A new £90 million Arena proposal in the centre of Bristol has been backed by a government support package which allows construction work to start next year.

The Homes and Communities Agency agreed a deal which sees the Arena Island site transfer to Bristol City Council which will support the creation of around 2,700 jobs along with 300 new and affordable homes within the development.

This transfer is supported by £5.425 million in funding from the Department of Communities and local government which will allow the council to invest in future developments within the Enterprise Zone.

“It’s great we’ve been able to broker this land deal with the council. The arena will be a landmark project for Bristol’s Enterprise Zone, creating hundreds of jobs for hard-working people and pumping millions of pounds back into the local economy,” said Local Growth Minister, Penny Mordaunt.

“The deal will also accelerate development across other brownfield land on Arena Island, transforming it into a vibrant hub for creative and digital industries. It’s yet another example of how our Enterprise Zone programme is supporting growth, providing a real boost to local communities as part of our long-term economic plan.”

The HCA is investing more than £11 million in a new bridge that will connect the arena to the rest of the Enterprise Zone and is one of five agreements which is expected to be finalised on sites which have the potential to create 1,000 new homes across Bristol.

“These projects are complex and take time and perseverance to bring forward. All partners have invested significantly over a number of years to get the project to this stage,” said HCA Executive Director for the South and South West Colin Molton.

“Activity is already happening on site which will connect it to its surroundings and unlock it for development. There is real momentum behind this vision now, which thousands of people have got behind during result consultations. These are exciting times for Bristol, and it’s great to have played an important part in this success.”

Bristol mayor George Ferguson added: “The transfer of Arena Island to the council marks a vital step in the development of the much needed 12,000 capacity venue for the region and follows hard on the heels of the announcement of the winning design team for the arena.”