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Former mayor says ‘someone should go to prison’ for ‘appalling’ Temple Island deal
Former mayor George Ferguson has demanded jail time for whoever at Bristol City Council agreed to an “appalling deal” over the proposed Temple Island redevelopment.
As Bristol24/7 has previously reported, the council is set to approve a much worse agreement with developers Legal & General than the one it signed in 2022.
Land values have plummeted since then while construction costs have soared, which means L&G says it can no longer provide 40 per cent of the 520 homes as affordable as originally promised, with this being halved to 20 per cent.
is needed now More than ever
And in a cruel double whammy for the council, demand for top-notch office space in the city centre – a key part of the regeneration of the former diesel depot – has rocketed, which means the previous deal for the authority to guarantee office rent of about £2m a year to the financial company for 40 years is no longer viable and has to be increased.
Writing on X, Ferguson said: “Someone should go to prison for this appalling deal – a criminal waste of public land and money.
“We acquired Arena Island for the Bristol region’s benefit – not for a hastily stitched-up deal in aid of misplaced political ambition.
“Local politics at its very worst.”
In response, Bristol City Council leader, Tony Dyer, says the authority has taken a pragmatic approach to ensure affordable housing will still be provided, along with other public benefits.
Someone should go to prison for this appalling deal – a criminal waste of public land and money. We acquired Arena Island for the Bristol region’s benefit – not for a hastily stitched up deal in aid of misplaced political ambition. Local politics at its very worst.. https://t.co/qdYs33qGIT
— People & Cities (@GeorgeFergusonx) July 8, 2026
Under the former independent mayor in 2014, the council approved a city centre arena on land then known as Arena Island.
Ferguson has championed the location for the venue since then and said he regretted not having signed the contract for the development before his successor, Labour’s Marvin Rees, canned it in 2018 and moved the arena to the Brabazon hangars at the former Filton Airfield on the edge of the city.
Plans for an arena on the former Arena Island were scrapped by former mayor Marvin Rees despite his predecessor George Ferguson saying the project was “shovel-ready” – photo: Martin Booth
Dyer said: “For far too long, areas of our city have been allowed to remain derelict and unproductive whilst the number of families in temporary accommodation or in unsuitable housing has continued to increase.
“At the same time, a significant proportion of our population are unable to find employment opportunities.
“The Temple Island site is the latest long-derelict brownfield site being brought forward for productive use.
“The derelict buildings around St Mary le Port are finally being demolished after decades of blighting the centre of our city.
“Canon’s House on the Harbourside is being refurbished and brought back into use.
“We are delivering record numbers of affordable housing on derelict brownfield sites across Bristol.
“The simple fact is that the opportunity to bring forward an arena on this site has been missed, and economic conditions have dramatically changed since the original contract for the site was agreed by the previous mayor.
“Increases in building costs and new safety regulations have meant that developments that were previously agreed have become unviable, not just in Bristol but across the country.
“We have taken a pragmatic approach to ensure delivery of affordable homes on Temple Island, homes that will dramatically improve the quality of life for those who move into them.
“The agreement will also ensure other benefits are realised – 520 homes including 100 affordable homes, office and community space and a large public realm package.
“But this is part of a much wider political discussion about affordable housing.
“Since the government stopped building council housing at scale, we have relied on the private market to deliver safe and affordable homes that people desperately need.
“I look forward to working with the new prime minister on his promise to build council housing at scale, so that we are no longer so reliant on developers delivering affordable homes.”
Main photo: Bristol24/7
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