WORCESTER City Council is being urged to show “a similar level of support” for its homeless football club as it has for an international-standard hockey facility.

The council’s Policy and Resources Committee backed a £2.1million loan and a 30-year lease at a peppercorn rent for a joint venture between RGS Worcester and Worcester Hockey Club on Tuesday.

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The proposals for the Old Porcelain Ground, less than one mile from the site proposed for Worcester City Football Club’s new ground at Perdiswell as the crow flies, are still subject to planning.

The football club’s supporters’ trust has planning permission for Perdiswell that runs until September 2021 having successfully appealed the council’s decision to reject it twice.

The battle to gain access to the city council-owned site is proving another matter, though, with councillors citing traffic issues and objections from residents.

Worcester City chairman Steve Goode was an interested onlooker at Tuesday’s public meeting which saw the join venture for hockey get the green light. He opted against speaking when invited to.

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The club has since released a statement with Goode declining to comment further other than to confirm that City would not be asking the council for financial support towards the estimated £2.5million cost of its plans.

The statement read: “It is great to see the council being so supportive of a new sports facility for the city.

“Whilst there has been some criticism I welcome the new scheme which adds another sporting activity to the emerging sports village at Perdiswell.

“I attended the meeting and whilst it is a real shame that a full-sized football pitch and a junior pitch will be lost as a result of the development, the report to the Policy and Resources Committee reinforces the council’s commitment to a football hub at Perdiswell where the club is well placed to deliver a new community facility and 3G pitch.

“Discussions are ongoing with council members regarding the Perdiswell scheme and we would welcome a similar level of support for the football facility as they are offering the joint venture for the hockey – after all, football is our national sport.”

Goode is part of a fan-led board that took charge at City in August 2018 with shareholders ratifying a community-owned model in March.

The club has been groundsharing out of the city since 2013 when its ground on St George’s Lane was sold to developers.

It has since voluntarily dropped three levels to cut costs.