Bristol City Football Club (BCFC) has welcomed an "encouraging" decision by the local authority to designate part of the city's Ashton Vale site as a Town Green.

The npower Championship club is looking to develop a new 30,000-seat venue on the land, although a group of local residents is opposed to the proposals. Bristol City Council's public rights of way committee has now accepted a recommendation to award Town Green status to part of the site, with six councillors voting in favour.

BCFC chief executive Guy Price said: "It's our final major hurdle out of the way but we have other issues we have to look at, discuss and resolve internally. "Once we've made any decision we'll announce that to our supporters."

Image: Populous