A WAR of words has broken out after Worcester City chairman Anthony Hampson claimed a decision on club’s move to a new stadium could be taken as soon as next month.
In his programme notes for Saturday’s game with Brackley Town, Mr Hampson said the club had been ‘assured’ the application for a new home would be heard by the end of November.
However his claims surprised Guildhall chiefs who said they were awaiting revised plans from the club before another public consultation could be held.
Plans for a 4,100 stadium at Perdiswell have been put on hold while a Worcester City Council working party examines potential new homes for the club.
The situation has left Worcester City in limbo three years after leaving their historic former St George’s Lane home with ground-shares in Kidderminster and now Bromsgrove.
Writing on Saturday, Mr Hampson said the application ‘grinds thought the process of endless expensive reports and consultations’.
“It’s now effectively in the hands of the City Council, its leader and their various departments and we are assured this will be heard by the end of November.
“I have my doubts but we will await events,” he added.
A Worcester City Council spokesperson said revised plans and ‘additional information’ was required from the club before the application could be debated.
“The joint applicants – the Football Club and the Supporters Trust – have said they will submit these to us by the end of October.
“There will then need to be a 21-day statutory consultation period. Depending on the outcome of the consultation, the earliest the application could go before the planning committee is December 15.
“In the meantime, members of the Supporters’ Trust and the Club – including Anthony Hampson – are continuing to play an active role in the working party that the council has set up to examine all possible sites for a new home for the football club,” he added.
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