EVESHAM United have been give the go-ahead to build a new 2,500-seater stadium bringing a 13-year search for a site to an end.
Wychavon District Council's development control and licensing committee voted to approve the club's plans after a long debate.
During the discussion some Evesham councillors spoke out against the development, to be built in a field to the west of Cheltenham Road on the boundary of Hinton-on-the-Green and Evesham. They supported the objections of some 100 local residents who had written to oppose the plans, the local parish councils and the CPRE Worcestershire branch.
Objectors were concerned about the loss of a greenfield site, the impact on local residents, particularly noise and floodlighting, and the impact on traffic.
But Coun John Smith warned committee members that if a new site were not found for the club they would lose it.
After a named vote, the proposal to refuse was lost by 17-6 in favour of approving the plans, which in-clude three pitches, clubhouse and changing rooms.
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