HARRIERS chiefs have announced ambitious plans for a new "ground-breaking" stadium in Kidderminster.

Proposals have been submitted to Wyre Forest District Council for Kidderminster Harriers Football Club's stadium development - which would also include a training complex and educational facilities.

The proposed new site is at the club's current Centre of Sporting Excellence, in Zortech Avenue, which is also home to their Football Academy and training base for the first team.

The club's proposed relocation would also make Aggborough Stadium – which has been Harriers’ home for more than 120 years - available for redevelopment, in which the club have said would be beneficial to the district for housing.

Under the proposals, the new venue would encompass a new, purpose-built stadium for Kidderminster Harriers, as well as a large training complex which would house their youth, academy and senior teams. In addition, the site would also feature educational facilities for all age groups.

Bosses hope the new facility will provide a boost to the area for employment and educational opportunities.

Colin Gordon, club chairman, said: "Now is the time for us to be thinking about the future.

"I fully understand and respect that there is a sentiment around Aggborough Stadium as a footballing venue - it has played a big part in my career both a long time ago and more recently too.

"But the simple fact of the matter is that we cannot be at the heart of our community if we are sat in the middle of a housing estate - the local population is growing dramatically and we just aren't physically in the right position to offer what we believe a football club should offer its community."

Mr Gordon added: "On a Saturday afternoon we want the entire area to come and watch an attractive, winning product on the pitch, but from Monday to Friday we want people to come and learn with Kidderminster Harriers; to be educated and taught and to develop.

"We want to have artificial pitches that friends and colleagues can use to play football themselves and have the site as a place that acts as a real hub for the community.

"That particular part of Kidderminster is statistically deprived in many ways - lower life expectancy, higher instances of crime and even an increased rate of obesity among young people.

"These are all things that matter to us and while they aren't things we can cure, they are things that as a football club we have a duty to try and help overcome.

"If we want to grow to become more than just a football team that relies on what the footballing product can generate then this is the only future for us - to be the sustainable, successful team and business that we want to be, this has to happen.