A MULTI-MILLION pound deal to sell Evesham United's Common Road ground to a housing developer took a major step forward yesterday with the signing of a conditional agreement between the two parties.

The land is to be purchased by Bloor Homes for housing development, while the club will construct a new ground on an alternative site off Cheltenham Road.

The Robins' chairman, Jim Cockerton, confirmed that the signing had taken place, although he declined to discuss the value of the contract.

However, as part of the deal, the club will have to pay over £600,000 to Wychavon District Council.

The council eased the way for the sale to go ahead last week when they agreed to release a restrictive covenant on the ground which they had imposed when they sold the land to the club in 1983 at a price well below the market rate.

In return, the club will hand over some of the proceeds, and at an executive board meeting last week councillors agreed to ring-fence the money in order to help meet the cost of building a new leisure centre in Evesham.

Minutes of the meeting recorded: "In return for the release of the covenant, the owners of the land agree to pay Wychavon District Council the sum ... upon the completion of the sale of the land for residential development."

The club will continue to use the ground for the remainder of the current season and for pre-season friendlies in the autumn.

Under the terms of a ground-sharing agreement with neighbours Worcester City, United's home games next year will be played at St George's Lane. The club is optimistic that the new ground will be completed in time for the start of the 2007/08 season. The sale is expected to be finalised over the next few weeks.

The ground-share agreement was settled despite recent reports about the state of the St George's Lane pitch, but City chairman Dave Boddy said it was unconnected to the number of games played in it. The Robins, who sacked manager Dave Busst last month after almost two and a half years at the club, this week announced he was to be succeeded by Paul West, who had been in temporary control of the club for the past few weeks.