The team behind the aim of creating a new home for York City and York City Knights say choosing the Minstermen’s current ground and the neighbouring Duncombe Barracks as the location for the 6,000-seater venue would jeopardise the chances of it being ready by 2014.

The potential hold-up is the need to firstly secure outline planning permission for a development at Monks Cross, which would provide funds for the stadium project. The same snag surrounds Mille Crux and Nestlé North, another option on the shortlist of sites.

Huntington Stadium and the adjacent Vangarde land, originally earmarked for a HSBC data centre, and a site at Hull Road next to the University of York’s Heslington East campus are the other possibilities. City chiefs saying a completely new Monks Cross ground is their preference.

In a report which will go before City of York Council’s executive next week, project manager Tim Atkins and his assistant Sarah Milton said Bootham Crescent and Mille Crux would “take longer to develop”.

“The land assembly issues are more complex and there is a greater risk of challenge,” they said.

“Both sites have a critical dependency on the Monks Cross planning permission and development agreement.

“Unless funds can be provided from another source, the procurement will not be able to begin for the stadium until there is some certainty regarding the funds.

“This will normally require outline planning permission for the enabling development at Monks Cross South.

“This could add, at a minimum, one year to the timescale.”

The report said a basic stadium could run at an annual £346,000 loss, but adding community facilities and a commercial aspect, such as a budget hotel, may turn that into a £53,000-a-year surplus.

It also revealed “a lower specification core stadium” with only three sides or two main stands has been considered.

But “these options run the risk of undermining the stadium’s commercial appeal”.

Residents are being asked to air their views on the stadium options, which can be seen at www.york.gov.uk, by e-mailing community.stadium@york.gov.uk by July 2.