DEAD in the water – that is the only way to describe the plan for a new Worcester City FC stadium at Nunnery Way.

The proposal has been in existence in various forms since the late Nineties. The most recent incarnation of the scheme, a partnership between the club and developers St Modwen, had the support of this newspaper for some time. But no more. Our reports this week have highlighted just what a financial disaster moving to Nunnery Way would be for a club about to free itself from decades of debt.

City’s sale of its St George’s Lane ground to Carey New Homes will leave the club with £1.75 million at best once its debt to RBS is paid.

The latest estimated cost of building a stadium only suitable for City’s current league, including land and infrastructure costs, is £3.2 million. What on earth would be the point in City paying off its currents debts only to start life at a new stadium almost £1.5 million in the red? This assumes the current stadium plan wins approval from city council planners – and it will not. The city council is adamant it will only approve plans for a ‘landmark’ stadium at Nunnery Way. The current proposal falls well short of such a description. So the club has a plan that will not be approved for a stadium it cannot afford.

Bad decisions by City’s previous board mean the club is tied to a contract with St Modwen until 2017. But it has to be out of St George’s Lane by 2013.

Let us hope planners make it clear to St Modwen there is no prospect of planning permission being granted by 2017. That might at least free the club of a daft agreement and allow its current go-ahead board to concentrate on finding a new home for the club, even if that means a ground share in the short term.