HOPES are reaching fever pitch that Redditch United's Valley Stadium can undergo a game-changing transformation this summer.

The Reds want to rip up their notorious sloping playing surface and replace it with an artificial 3G pitch which would enable them to play in all weathers.

Reds have been granted planning permission by Redditch Borough Council to proceed with the work which they hope to start at the end of this season with a view to playing on a 3G pitch by August.

But first the club also need to obtain financial backing from the Football Association's Grassroots scheme together with help from the Stadium Improvement Fund to help pay for the work. The FA's decision is expected by the end of the month

Reds have been backed by the Borough Council with a long term lease, which is a stipulation required by the FA.

But Reds chairman Chris Swan has also vowed to back the scheme out of his own pocket, the property developer being prepared to invest "somewhere north of £200,000" into the project.

Swan said: "We have a heads of agreement with the Borough Council, for which I cannot thank them enough.

"Their investment has been the length of the lease, without that, we wouldn't have got past first base with the FA.

"I'm particularly grateful to chief executive Kevin Dicks and local councillor Greg Chance, who have been particularly instrumental in helping to put our proposals together."

Swan has always made it plain since taking control of Reds four years ago, that he wants to turn them into a community club. They can already boast a total of 42 junior sides sporting the club colours every week, which includes eight girls teams and four disabled.

Swan said: "If we get the go-ahead to install a 3G pitch, we would increase that total to over 60 sides making us the biggest in the Midlands.

"We can already lay claim to being the second biggest behind rugby, but getting the financial go-ahead would take it to a new dimension.

"It's so important to target the youngsters because they are our future players and supporters.

"Since I've been here, we've already seen six players go into full-time football and we've got two more being watched by full time sides at the moment.

"The fact we can run such a large number of sides just goes to show the need in Redditch for a 3G facility. At the moment our teams have to play here, there and everywhere.

"Many of them play and train on Terrys Field behind the club and its a sight to behold every Sunday morning and I know every single team will be grateful to the borough council if the scheme goes ahead.

"As you can imagine, with so many teams, it becomes a logistical nightmare and we end up having teams playing all over the borough."

Swan proposes to model the development on 3 G pitches already currently up and running at Midland rivals Sutton Coldfield Town and Bedworth United.

He added: "We're not just planning to change the pitch. We want to give the whole club a complete facelift which would include adding two more changing rooms and improving the existing electrics, plumbing and roof. We want to turn the ground into a centre for sporting excellence.

A council spokesman confirmed: "We continue to work with the club and any future proposals will go to our Executive Committee first."