The Buckingham Group has been lined-up to build the new 21,700-seater stadium in Frenchay.

The development will be funded by selling the existing Memorial Ground to Sainsbury’s who are planning a new supermarket.

But local traders are unhappy about the plan and will now pursue a judicial review questioning the validity of the planning permission granted to Sainsbury’s.

Bristol Rovers said: “Written legal representations will now be made to the High Court, which we hope will be reviewed within the next ten to twelve weeks, and the High Court judge will then make a decision on whether to proceed to a full-scale review.

“Whilst we are massively disappointed that a judicial review application has been submitted, we urge supporters to stay calm as we work through this with our partners.”