Planning permission for Bristol’s long-awaited arena has finally been granted after councillors agreed to a new strategy for how to get people to events.

Work on the 12,000-capacity, £93 million venue behind Bristol Temple Meads can now start, with an opening date of early 2018.

Proposals for the venue were initially sent back to the drawing board in early March, with councillors arguing the application was thin on detail for transport improvements.

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But a new transport plan, which included improved park and ride links, extra trains and increased bike parking, was submitted to a meeting on Wednesday where councillors voted unanimously in favour. More details about the travel plan can be found here.

The arena’s steel cladding will also be able to host public art

Transport – and specifically the limited on-site parking – had threatened to derail the arena plans after local residents raised fears that their streets would be flooded during the 20 or so full capacity events planned for every year.

One of the conditions of the new application was a commitment to consult on a new residents’ parking zone in Totterdown.

Councillors were satisfied that improvements to public transport were sufficient to make the arena a success. Chair Peter Abraham, Conservative, said after the vote: “Congratulations. We now hope we get invited to the first concert.”

The arena will hold 12,000 people for its biggest events

Initial plans were thrown out in early March by councillors who claimed the proposals for travel to the arena were “deficient” in detail. The delays since then are estimated to have cost £80,000 a week.

The mayor was criticised by most of the main parties after accusing councillors on the committee of playing politics by delaying the arena so close to the election on May 5.

Now that the arena has gone through, the mayor can claim to have delivered one of his key manifesto pledges before May’s election.

Ferguson, who did not attend the planning meeting, said in a statement: “I’m grateful to members of the planning committee for this decision and of course to the project team for all their hard work that will result in Bristol having one of the best and most adaptable Arenas in Europe.

“We shall now develop the plans for the rest of Arena Island and the derelict sorting office site to give a great Bristol arrival experience and a thriving mixed community.”

Read more: Is arena parking plan as mad as it sounds?