JUST when Bristol Rovers thought it couldn’t get any worse – the club faces another delay in the battle to build its new ground.

And this is the man behind it – Jamie Carstairs, who was a supporter of TRASH and told the Bristol Post he waited until he knew the group was not getting anywhere with its judicial review before submitting his latest application.

After fighting off campaign group TRASHorfield and then being relegated out of the Football League, he has applied to English Heritage asking for Horfield’s Memorial Ground to be listed as a war memorial.

Bristol Rovers chairman Nick Higgs has put on a brave face – telling fans he’s been advised that “there is little chance of this application ultimately being successful” and that the club “still hope to be able to start the development of the UWE Stadium in the summer”.

But it is another setback for the club, which is desperately trying to build a new 21,700 all-seated facility on land owned by the University of West England in Stoke Gifford in time for the start of the 2015/16 season.

Mr Carstairs, 55, a photographer who works at the University of Bristol and lives in Bishopston, made an application to English Heritage via its website – which any member of the public can do – because he doesn’t think it is right that a Sainsbury’s is built “on a war memorial”.

He told the Post: “In the 1920s, the people of Bristol donated enough money to pay for the construction works and the equipping of The Memorial Ground in Horfield.

“People paid for an asset for the use of the community. It is a significant heritage site – and a very special war memorial created, in a moment of genius, as a sports ground.

“It is right or respectful to build a supermarket on a war memorial? How did this community asset in Horfield become a bargaining chip for businessmen/planners?

“Why should the Gloucester Road area, actually in the city of Bristol, be sacrificed for a stadium which is to be built outside the city?

“The redevelopment plans include a small “Memorial Garden” around the entrance gates.

“This is a token gesture, which misunderstands the point of the memorialisation.

“The enabling scheme is spurious, the redevelopment plan was ill-conceived and it is simply wrong.

“A Sainsbury’s superstore and a huge car park are unsuitable memorials to sacrifice.

“It is shameful to Bristol that this bad idea was ever entertained.

“The plan cooked up by Rovers, Sainsbury’s, UWE and the two councils represents an abject failure of imagination.

“Bristol prides itself on its innovative character. With some care, The Memorial Ground could carry on being inspirational to future generations.

“As the country commemorates the centenary years of the Great War, designation by English Heritage would provide an opportunity to discuss options for a sensible, sustainable and respectful future for a local and national treasure.”

Mr Higgs said that as a result of the application the club has had to employ a heritage consultant to produce a detailed report in response to it.

He said: “We have been advised, that whilst there is little chance of this application ultimately being successful, we still have to go through the process and submit a robust response to the application to English Heritage.

“The unfortunate result of these actions is another delay, which is very frustrating to all of us.”

He added that the club must now wait for English Heritage’s decision.

An English Heritage spokeswoman last night told the Post that it was still “in the process of assessing the application” to list the ground, and would give its advice to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport in due course.

She added: “The Gate Piers at the entrance to the Memorial Stadium and the gates themselves were listed in 2010 as a poignant reminder of the tragic events of the two World Wars on the local community.

“The central pier contains two stone plaques dedicated in memory to Bristol football and rugby players who lost their lives in the First and Second World Wars.”

PANEL

June 2011: Bristol Post exclusively reveals plans for new £40million stadium for Rovers at Stoke Gifford.

July 2012: South Gloucestershire councillors give planning permission for the 21,700-seat UWE Stadium but go ahead depends on consent for new supermarket at the Mem to help with funding.

Jan 2013: Sainsbury’s given planning permission by Bristol City councillors for new store, homes, community facilities and memorial garden.

Aug 2013: Anti supermarket campaigners form group called TRASHorfield which is registered as a limited company and submit legal challenge against Bristol City Council granting planning permission for a supermarket at the Mem.

Oct 2013: Leading TRASHorfield campaigner Daniella Radice defends their decision to go ahead with a judicial review. She says they are in support of a new stadium – but not on the back of a new supermarket.

Nov 2013: High Court judge gives permission for full judicial review hearing to go ahead – but must be held in Bristol.

March 20: High Court judge Mr Justice Hickinbottom quashes the judicial review.

March 26: TRASHorfield seeks leave to appeal the decision – but this is immediately denied.

April 2: Group announces it will not be appealing this decision at the Court of Appeal due to costs involved.

May 3: Bristol Rovers are relegated from the Football League.