PLANS for a £700,000 sports complex have been drawn up - but the search is now on for a new location.

Real estate business, Property Solutions Ledbury, had drawn up detailed plans for the complex off the Dymock Road.

But building a new five hectare ground on that site, for Ledbury Town Football Club and Ledbury Swifts, depended on the developers Gladman getting permission for a 425 home estate.

But Gladman failed to secure permission earlier this month, when it lost a planning appeal.

Property Solutions Ledbury owns the existing Ledbury Town football ground off New Street, and it wants to build 38 to 40 homes there.

But a planning ruling means it must re-home the football club first of all.

Roy Green, a director of Property Solutions Ledbury, spoke out after the planning inspector, in rejecting the Gladman proposal, said in her report that after a land transfer “funds would then need to be generated by the community group to provide the pitches and facilities to enable their use”.

Mr Green said that funds would come from money raised through putting houses on the New Street ground.

He said of plans to put a sports ground off the Dymock Road: “I have worked for 18 months, drawing this up. It was all costed.”

He described the plans as “a really big set up”, costing £700,000 or more, and incorporating a 200-seat stadium with floodlights, a training ground or pitch for a second team, changing room and car parking.

Mr Green said he now had another, different location in mind.

“We are definitely looking at some land”, he said, but declined to say more, except to add, “We are doing this for the youngsters of the town and for Ledbury Town Football Club.”

Ledbury Sports Federation says the town falls far short of the sports provision it actually should have for its population

John Preedy, chairman of Ledbury Town Football Club, said the existing new Street pitch was damp and wet, - so sodden, in fact, no matches had taken place for three weeks, and some players were voting with their boots and leaving for other sides. He warned that if this continues, “Ledbury Town Football Club will fold.”