Bristol City Football Club has been housed at Ashton Gate Stadium in the South West of Bristol for over a hundred years. In that time the club has played a major role in the social and economic make-up of the area.

It is felt ,however, that the existing stadium may place constraints on the club's aspirations for the future and that the exciting prospects for future growth and development of the club will require a new home. Further, the provision of a new stadium has the potential to make a major economic boost to the region as well as the regeneration of nearby areas of South Bristol.

Ashton Vale has been selected as a possible site for this new stadium as:

- It is close to the historic location of the club's present home
- It is close to the A370 as well as to planned future regional & local transport links
- It has the potential to play a major role in the regeneration of South Bristol
- The site is a former landfill tip, unsuitable for many other uses

Investigation of potential sites for a new stadium has been ongoing for some time. A pre-feasibility study published in 2002 examined the strategic case for a regional football stadium in Bristol and assessed the suitability of a number of sites. It was concluded that Ashton Vale was the site worthy of greater investigation.