7:00am Thursday 4th February 2010
By Steve Carley
Worcester City chairman Anthony Hampson is eager for a decision to be made on the future of St George’s Lane.
Property developer Careys New Homes want to buy City’s century-old home but are still altering their planning application to Worcester City Council.
City are hoping the Wembley firm get the green light to construct around 90 homes on the site, having deferred their original August bid to build 98 dwellings following a refusal recommendation.
It was thought the proposals would be heard last week but it will now be next month at the earliest as revisions continue to be made on the advice of Guildhall planners.
If permission is granted, Careys are expected to pay £3.5million for the Lane, providing the funds for City to pay off a £1.5m debt to the Royal Bank of Scotland.
However, building fewer homes could lead to the Blue Square South club receiving less for their prized asset.
An undisclosed five-figure advance from the Middlesex company has kept the club afloat until the end of the season but it is the long-term future that concerns Hampson.
The club, who are paying interest on an £800,000 bank loan, are still due to sign the contract with Careys tying both parties into the deal if permission is granted.
But Hampson said: “The main issue for us is to get the decision on planning from the council which is going to be acceptable to Careys.
“Once that hurdle is over with, we can then plan for the preparation of a new home for the football club but, at the moment, it’s very difficult to do that.
“We really hope Worcester city planners can convince whoever they need to convince, including the councillors, to give planning permission so we can move on and do this deal with Careys.”
Council senior planning officer Alan Coleman said the authority were aware of the sensitive nature of the situation and doing their utmost to “give the club the best return”.
With no date for a hearing set or any news on the progress of St Modwen’s scaled-down proposals for a new stadium at Nunnery Way, City are becoming increasingly desperate.
It is also a year since fears were first raised by Warndon parish councillor Ted Holloway over the pedestrian access to Nunnery Way.
Talks have been ongoing about the inclusion of a bridge over the dual carrriageway, likey to cost around £750,000, but the issue is seemingly no nearer to being resolved.
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