FOOTBALL club bosses fear work on 180 new homes in Malmesbury could disrupt the start of a new season.

Malmesbury Victoria FC members are worried that sewer upgrades, which would see the club's pitch dug up, will not be finished in time for the beginning of the season in August next year.

There has been serious flooding at the ground in recent years, and work to install a sewer pipe below the pitch will come at the worst possible time, as the club has only just finalised plans to re-turf the ground.

The plans for a new pipe follow the purchase of the Filands site by developer Bloor Homes from Gleeson Strategic Land Ltd last month, after a legal battle over the land.

With the development of the 180 homes now set to go ahead in the next year, Wessex Water has said a pipe across the Vic’s pitch will be needed in order to increase sewage storage space, and the company plans to start work in May next year.

Vics club secretary Julie Exton said that because their pitch is owned by Malmesbury Town Council and protected by a group called Fields In Trust, there were a lot of hoops to jump through before work on the pipe could commence.

She said: “It is going to affect the club big time but we do appreciate that it is essential work that has to be done.

“I can’t see it all being done in time myself.”

A spokesman for Wessex Water was unable to say whether the pipe work would be finished in time.

He added: “We are in early discussions with the developer and at this stage no formal design work has been agreed.

“We would consult with any affected land owner and Malmesbury Victoria FC nearer the time to ensure we minimise the impact of our works.”

However, the development manager at Fields In Trust – which protects fields in the UK – was more optimistic about finishing the pipe work by August next year.

Angela Lewis said: “The land in question is protected by a deed of dedication between Malmesbury Town Council and Fields in Trust, which means that in situations such as this all parties work together to maximise the benefits for, and minimise the impact on, local communities.

“Requests such as this [to install pipes] are reviewed by a group of our trustees who meet monthly, so at this stage, barring any unforeseen circumstances, it should be possible to meet the deadline.”