A proposal for new football facilities in Cheshire costing £70m, which includes a stadium that could become home for semi-professional clubs, is being reconsidered.
The initial plans, based on the FA's St George's Park, were to redevelop a former golf course in Winsford and build a 3,000-capacity ground at its centre.
However, that was in 2018. “Progress has been significantly delayed by the pandemic,” said a spokesman for Cheshire West and Chester Council, which owns land chosen for the project at Knights Grange outdoor sports complex.
“However, all partners have a shared aspiration to bring the scheme to fruition and are working to demonstrate that it remains deliverable.”
The NLP understands that a report will be ready within weeks, and the council will then decide if the project, which featured a luxury hotel, multiple 3G pitches – one of them covered – and a medical centre on its original wish list, can still go ahead.
1874 Northwich, of the Northern Premier League's West Division, were rumoured to become long-term tenants, training on nearby pitches and hosting opponents at the stadium.
They have shared Barnton's ground since the 2019-20 season, an arrangement they are in negotiations to extend for another five years once the current deal ends in the summer.
Winsford United, based little more than a mile away at Barton Stadium, also discussed the possibility of moving across town.
“The door remains open for non-league teams to play or train out of the site,” a source told The NLP.
A steering group with representatives from Cheshire Football Centre, a not-for-profit entity set up to turn the vision into reality, the council, and Ion Property Developments is tasked with assessing the proposal's costs, risks and how it can be delivered.
Their stated intention is for money generated by the site, once it is operational, to be spent on grassroots football initiatives in other parts of the county.
The council spokesman added: “This latest stage is nearing its conclusion and everybody involved will consider the report's findings before deciding how to proceed.”
