KUALA LUMPUR: YTL Developments UK will transform the gigantic Brabazon hangars at the former Filton airfield in the north of Bristol into a world class indoor entertainment arena.
The company's director Datuk Yeoh Seok Hong said the arena may generate £1.5 billion into the local economy over 25 years, Yeoh told the New Straits Times during a visit to the former Filton airfield last month.
The planning application had been submitted to Bristol City Council and South Gloucestershire Council in the middle of November.
The iconic Brabazon hangars are housed within a 352m-long and 35m-tall building across 26 acres and they have been a part of Bristol's heritage since the 1940s.
The building has an enclosed volume of some one million cubic metres divided up into three separate but interlinked aircraft hangars.
Built in 1946 for the construction of the Brabazon airliner, the building later became the birthplace of Concorde.
In 2003, the final Concorde to fly travelled from Heathrow to Filton.
Filton airfield closed to commercial flights in December 2012. It was at a standstill until YTL Power International took over the 380-acre site in 2015.
The site will become a new urban community, with over 2,600 homes, creative workplaces and a vibrant town centre set amongst public squares and parks.
YTL Developments aims to deliver a “world class venue for Bristol” which could rival London’s O2 and Birmingham’s NEC in terms of restaurants, concessions, clubs and bars.
The plan includes transforming the central hanger, also known as YTL Arena, into a 17,000-seater multi-purpose, flexible and unique arena auditorium, allowing Bristol to host full capacity live music shows, sporting events, family entertainment and comedy shows.
The east hangar will be transformed into 'Festival Hall,' a break-out area for the main arena show which could also be used for trade shows, exhibitions, conventions and other events.
The west hangar, called “The Hub”, will be opened throughout the year offering a place to eat, work and play, with leisure facilities, and space for start-up businesses.
“We’re building much more than just an arena. It is a 365-day entertainment destination inside the iconic Brabazon Hangars that will create new jobs, bring new business to the region and enhance Bristol’s position as a leading European city.
“We'll put Bristol on the world map with this massive entertainment complex," Yeoh said.
The site will boast a new train station that will connect to Bristol Temple Meads in less than 15 minutes and a frequently scheduled dedicated bus service to the city centre, he added.
It is estimated that the new entertainment destination will attract more than 1.4 million visitors annually.