The club wants to move from Ashton Gate to a new 30,000-seater stadium.

Council planners have ordered a revision of the club's Ashton Vale development which will see the removal of plans for housing on the site.

The club said this would leave a £5.5m shortfall but the "biggest hurdle" to the development had been negotiated.

Updated plans, which must take into account the imposed housing restrictions and further transport proposals, will go back before the council in six months.

The new stadium will include a hotel, conference facilities and be capable of expanding to seat 40,000.

The development is opposed by some environmental groups who claim endangered wildlife will be put under further pressure and transport links would not be capable of coping with the increased traffic.

Buckingham, Laing O'Rourke, Sir Robert McAlpine and Vinci are all thought to be chasing the contract.