New Colne football and rugby stadium plan

10:58pm Monday 21st April 2008

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PLANS are being drawn up for a new football stadium to replace Colne FC's Holt House ground.

The stadium is expected to be built on open land between the current ground and nearby Nelson and Colne Rugby Club.

It would be used to host football, rugby and other sports for local teams and would have seats for around 300 spectators and terracing for 3,000.

The development plan also includes changing rooms for the stadium plus changing rooms for all other pitches at Holt House which are used by local teams.

The stadium is a joint venture between the club and Pendle Council, who last week approved the appointment of consultants to manage the project.

A planning application has not yet been submitted but it is hoped the stadium will be completed in three years.

Colne FC vice-chairman Dave Blacklock said: "We have had a meeting with the consultants who have been appointed by Pendle Council to oversee the project.

"The same company worked on the Curzon Ashton and Nantwich Town developments so they have a good track record in this type of development.

"The intention is that they'll parcel the whole bid up and make the application for funding, on behalf of both the council and the football club.

"The next stage now is that they are doing a feasibility study and putting a plan together.

"We've got through a lot of the red tape now, which has taken about 18 months to two years, and now we've got the Football Foundation red tape to deal with. Obviously it's hard to say exactly, but the current suggestion is that we will have another two seasons playing in the existing stadium, and towards the end of that second season we should see the development begin.

"As long as we don't hit any hiccups - and at the moment we appear to have overcome all the main problems and done everything we needed to do - we should be looking at playing in the new stadium soon after that."

No estimates have been given for costs but funding is being secured through grants and from the Pendle Council.

On the back of the development, the club is looking into a partnership with Nelson and Colne college to establish a football academy at the new ground.