CHELMSFORD: New stand plans to be submitted by Clarets

By dward

AMBITIOUS Chelmsford City's plans to build a new, additional 1,280-seater stand at Melbourne Stadium are expected to go before borough councillors within the next month.

The stand along with other major improvements would increase the ground's current 3,000 capacity to meet Blue Square Premier grading.

The new stand, which will run the length of the athletics club side of the ground, will also allow the club to have proper segregation of supporters which is a requirement of being allowed to play at the next level up.

Other improvements will include extra toilet facilities and turnstiles plus further emergency exits from the ground which currently only has one through the main car park.

On Wednesday, club chairman Mansell Wallace, describing the proposals as the next exciting development of the club.

He said their designer had completed plans for the new stand and was now working on the other improvements.

"Hopefully within the next four weeks we will have all the plans finalised on our side and we can then submit to the council for their approval which would probably take another six weeks," Wallace explained. "Obviously we are in regular contact with the council and they are aware of our proposals but it will be up to them to approve it at the end of the day.

"If it all goes through it would then be up to the club to find the finance to complete the improvements which are naturally not only for the benefit of the football club but for other users of the stadium and the community as a whole."

The idea is that the major works, such as the building of the new stand, would take place at the end of this next season.

"We will soon be able to apply for some funding to help with the costs, such as from the Sports Foundation, because our three year application limit from what we were given for the original main stand is over so we are now free to apply again," said Wallace.

"The directors are confident of securing the finance to complete the work in time for the start of the 2010/11 season.

"By then we sincerely hope to have gained promotion from the Blue Square South which is the club's aim this coming season.

"The board are very pleased by the way Glenn Pennyfather (head coach) is re-building the side with an exciting blend of young and experienced players."

City fans' fears that the club are missing out on potential new signings as rival Blue Square South teams keep snapping up new recruits is not a worry for Wallace and the board.

He added: "We're quite happy at the way things are going at present on the playing side.

"And I would expect us to be able to reveal at least three new signings by Thursday of next week.

"We are deliberately taking our time and securing the right players we need to strengthen the existing squad."