COUNCILLORS have visited the UK’s newest football arena in a bid to pick up ideas as to how York’s proposed new stadium could have a community feel.

Coun Sonja Crisp, leisure spokesperson for City of York Council’s Labour group, joined its leader, Coun James Alexander, and fellow member Coun Brian Watson on a trip to Chesterfield’s b2net Stadium, which has been praised for its design and facilities.

The councillors said they were concerned about the level of community assets which may be included within a York stadium, which would house York City FC and York City Knights, with Monks Cross being chosen as the preferred site for any development.

Coun Crisp said: “We visited the b2net Stadium to find out what the set-up is there and what community facilities are open to the public.

“We still have serious concerns about the community aspect of the planned stadium in York, as many of the leaflets going out to the public refer to a spectator sports stadium with no mention of the word ‘community’.

“The visit to Chesterfield was a fascinating tour and answered a lot of questions we had about the operation and viability of a new stadium.”

Coun Alexander said the group would decide where it felt a York stadium should be built and the community facilities it should include before confirming whether it can support the final proposals put forward by the council’s executive.

Chesterfield chairman Terry Ward, who showed the councillors around together with club trustee Kay Adkins, said: “The lesson we have learned is the importance of developing the community brief requirements in parallel with, and at the same time as, the sporting ones.

“Community organisations really appreciate and see the value of locating their operations in sports stadia as it can become the heart of the community and a destination venue for both sports and non-sports fans.”