YORK could be in line for a youth football boom if the city’s proposed community stadium goes ahead, according to sporting groups.

Amended plans for a £90 million Monks Cross development, including a 6,000-seater stadium for York City FC and York City Knights would also see two new 3G pitches being opened up to communities.

Local football governing bodies say the state-of-the-art, all-weather surfaces would help solve the problem of York having too few grass pitches to meet demand, leading to more youngsters getting involved in the game. They also hope their proximity to York City would allow young players to get a taste of a professional sporting set-up and similar connections could be forged with the Knights.

Oakgate (Monks Cross) Ltd, which has applied to build the stadium and community facilities alongside a huge retail development including new John Lewis and Marks & Spencer stores, puts its revised proposals – which now incorporate the pitches – on show at a public exhibition in York earlier this month.

Their addition has been welcomed by the City of York Football Development Steering Group, which looks at how footballing facilities and pitches can be provided in York and ways of expanding the sport, and which says the scheme would be “unique” in the city.

“This would be a brilliant and very welcome community facility, as the pitches could be used for both mini-soccer matches and training sessions, easing the pressure and congestion on the limited number of grass pitches in York and increasing participation,” said steering group member and York Mitchell Junior Football League chairman Barry Casterton.

“Mini-soccer matches could be arranged befor e York City games, giving young people a total matchday experience alongside the community programmes offered by the football club.”

3G, or third-generation, pitches have synthetic surfaces which look and act like natural grass but can be used for one match after another and in all conditions.