Massive Attack will play a gig in Bristol before the end of the year to raise money for Greenpeace.

The venue and date have yet to be announced, but it could be held in the former courts, police and fire station complex on Bridewell Street on December 12, as this was where Massive Attack’s Robert Del Naja was due to host the first Battle Box event, a mixture of music, art and politics, before it was postponed.

Del Naja, also known as 3D, revealed news of the long-awaited homecoming show on BBC 6 Music.

“We’re going to do a couple of gigs before the end of the year, something for Greenpeace, drawing attention to the potential catastrophic issues that will be thrown up by exploiting the (Arctic) region,” he said, confirming that the other gig will take place in London.

“Without Greenpeace and people like that (the protestors currently in jail in Russia after a protest about oil drilling) a lot of this stuff just happens and we forget about it and I think it’s important to keep the light on them and their situation right now.”

Massive Attack have not appeared in their home city since 2005 when they played at the Bristol Academy. Prior to that they played a one-off gig to some 20,000 people on Queen Square in 2003.

One venue in which this year’s gig will not be held is the Colston Hall, which the Bristol band have long boycotted due to its connection with the notorious slave trader of the same name.

Massive Attack at the Llloyds Amphitheatre in 1992. This photo by Steve Double will form part of The Great British Rock and Roll Fair at Little White Space in Clifton between December 6 and 15.