Stadium blueprint

The document recommends a series of phased developments at the stadium which would eventually raise the existing capacity of around 3,500 to 12,450

However, drawn up on the council's behalf by The Miller Partnership, chartered architects and interior designers, the report gives no time scale for the work.

Critically, it also states the playing of football at Huntington, together with rugby and athletics is "not incompatible" under phase one of the council's redevelopment plan.

Huntington Stadium is already home to York City Knights Rugby League Club, who share the facilities with athletics.

York City FC, who must quit their Bootham Crescent home at the end of this season, are schduled to move to Huntington Stadium in time for the start of the following season in August 2004.

City today greeted the plans with fury and have called an emergency meeting of the football club board and the board of the City Supporters' Trust to discuss whether there is a future for professional football in the city.

The club have branded the plan "expensive, ludicrous and illogical".

The council report claims: "The theoretical development plan described in this report is sufficiently robust and practical to meet most reasonable needs."

It concedes while the running track could co-exist with football and rugby matches, hosting field events at the stadium would be "problematic" because of the damage events like the javelin and hammer throwing would do to the playing surface.

The report recommends field events should therefore be relocated and suggests a field immediately to the west of the stadium could be used.

Under the phase one of the council's proposal, it is suggested the main stand at Huntington Stadium is left largely untouched.

Instead, the report recommends extending the covered terraced stand opposite the main stand with new seating installed and a new cantilevered roof.

The report advises away supporters should be "concentrated in the north-west area" of the stadium, behind the running track, where a terracing would be built to accommodate 1,000 spectators entering and leaving the ground via Jockey Lane.

The report states if there was sufficient supporter demand then additional terraces could be built in the south-west and south-east corners as a "temporary measure", taking the capacity to just under 7,000.

However, it makes no mention of the need for more toilets, turnstiles, catering facilities and a club shop, extra office space nor how they could be provided under phase one.

Phase two of the council's Huntington Stadium redevelopment plan would begin, states the report, when the running track is removed.

No time scale is given for when that would be expected to happen.

The report states the pitch would be moved south by ten metres and west by 5m with the temporary terraces built in phase one demolished.

A new 2,250 seater stand would be built, providing space for new changing rooms, club offices and spectator facilities, taking the capacity to around 7,650 with more than 50 per cent seating.

Phase two 'A' would see the away terracing demolished, replaced by similar stand taking capacity to 8,900.

The report states: "If necessary, the rugby club could relocate their administration social club and possibly separate changing rooms to this stand".

Phase three of the council blueprint is described as the "final major phase" with the existing main stand overhauled with a cantilevered rood installed, a capacity of around 4,500 seats with hospitality boxes.

The redevelopment of the main stand would give the ground a final capacity of 12,450 supporters, all under cover, with only 2,200 standing.

Although the plan was announced at a meeting of the full council last night, it was not displayed.

A Council spokesperson said today "We gave the plans to the club to look at and consider and did not want to go public until the club had been given a chance to make its response."

Updated: 11:19 Wednesday, July 09, 2003