WORCESTER CITY FC SIGN AGREEMENT TO SELL ST GEORGE'S LANE GROUND

Worcester City FC have exchanged contracts with residential developer Careys New Homes for the sale of the Blue Square North club¹s St George's Lane ground which has been their home for 102 years.

The sale of the 4.25 acre ground to the Wembley-based firm for a substantial figure including a significant sponsorship deal, enables the football club to release funds to progress the development of a new 6,000- capacity stadium by St Modwen Properties PLC, on a site at Nunnery Way, close to M5 Junctions 6 and 7 on the edge of the city.

A meeting of the club¹s shareholders will be held on May 20 to give further details of the stadium development plans.

Dave Boddy, chairman of Worcester City, said: "This is an historic day for the football club. The sale of the St George¹s Lane ground means that the development of the new stadium at Nunnery Way can move forward.

"Hopefully, this will now lead to exciting times ahead for all supporters of the club."

John Carey Jnr, director of Careys New Homes, said: "We are very pleased to be involved with this exciting new project and all the benefits it will bring to Worcester City FC and the local community.

"A planning application for residential development has been submitted and is progressing through the planning process."

John Dodds, Midlands Regional Director for St Modwen, said: "The sale is excellent news for Worcester City FC and completes the next stage in the process of relocating the club from St George¹s Lane to what will be its new home at Nunnery Way.

"We are continuing with consultation meetings with the City Council who are very supportive of the planned new football stadium."

The football stadium is the catalyst for the 20 acre development of which it forms the key part. The remaining acres will be developed into an exciting mixed use scheme which will complement and support the football stadium and bring other commercial uses to benefit the city as a whole.

Ref: PR/473/MOD