York City have set their sights on moving to a new community stadium at Monks Cross after a shortlist of sites for the project was revealed.

Creating a 6,000 all-seater home for the Minstermen and York City Knights on the site of Huntington Stadium is one of four options which will be considered by the city’s political chiefs next month.

Other options are redeveloping City’s current Bootham Crescent ground, which would involve buying the neighbouring Duncombe Barracks from the Ministry of Defence, a site at Hull Road next to the University of York’s Heslington East campus extension, and the Mille Crux and Nestlé North site, off Haxby Road.

City chairman Jason McGill said Monks Cross was the club’s preferred site, provided Huntington Stadium was demolished and replaced with a completely new arena. Residents are being asked to name their preferred option ahead of a July 6 meeting of City of York Council’s executive.

The project team warned funding gaps for all the potential sites had to be bridged and any scheme must be at least partly-funded by developers. All options involve City of York Athletics Club moving from Huntington Stadium to the Hull Road Sports Village.

Mr McGill said a new stadium at Monks Cross would deliver the best timeline for repaying the club’s Football Foundation grant and would provide further economic generation facilities.

He said: “I’m really optimistic about this project and I hope supporters will see it’s necessary for the future financial stability of the club and to attract the next generation of supporters.”

The earliest a stadium could be ready is 2014. Coun Steve Galloway, the council’s executive member for city strategy, described it as “a once-in-a-generation opportunity”.

He said: “The status quo is not an option because the football club needs additional revenue streams to survive and the rugby, athletics and swimming facilities at Huntington are limited and face an uncertain future,” he said.

Details of the options can be found at www.york.gov.uk


How the different options for York’s new stadium shape up


BOOTHAM CRESCENT
Pros – York City are principal landowner and want to move project forward; popular with football fans; good potential for developing a transport plan; Ministry of Defence have expressed interest in selling the neighbouring barracks site or jointly developing it.

Cons – Potential planning and timescale risks; would leave debts outstanding because value of the site would not be realised; may undermine City’s financial stability; tight site; limited community opportunities, car parking, access and other revenue possibilities; high cost.

Estimated cost – £13.188 million for stadium (£8.858 million funding gap); £19.186 million with other facilities (£14.186 million funding gap).


HULL ROAD/HESLINGTON EAST
Pros - Less complex site; links with University of York; additional interest from developers; good transport links; option to provide all sports facilities, including athletics, on one site.

Cons – Green Belt status means extra planning risks; transport issues surrounding A64 junction; university’s expansion plans may add to planning snags.

Estimated cost – £11.988 million for stadium (£4.658 million funding gap); £17.986 million with other facilities (£9.986 million funding gap).


MILLE CRUX/NESTLÉ NORTH
Pros – Equidistant between Bootham Crescent and Huntington Stadium; scope for green travel schemes; community, commercial and other sporting opportunities.

Cons – Complex split site creates planning and timescale risks; Bio-Rad industrial site is high value and makes scheme more complex; compulsory purchase order not possible to secure Monks Cross land needed for enabling development.

Estimated cost - £16.988 million for stadium (£9.658 million funding gap); £22.986 million with other facilities (£14.986 million funding gap).


MONKS CROSS
Pros - Single site with Vangarde site alongside; strong planning case for enabling development and potential for land value to increase; opportunity to secure future of health and fitness facilities at Monks Cross; good access; option to buy land west of the site for sports pitches; commercial interest; lowest funding gap.

Cons – Minimal development envisaged by developer could create planning risks; scheduled ancient monument on adjacent land; traffic concerns.

Estimated cost - £11.488 million for stadium (£4.158 million funding gap); £17.486 million with other facilities (£9.486 million funding gap).