York City chiefs are planning to have a meeting next month to talk about site options for the club’s new community stadium.

Sophie Hicks, the club’s communications and community director, said a meeting had been scheduled with Tim Atkins, the stadium project manager for City of York Council, in January.

Meanwhile, Council chiefs say the project, which will provide a new ground for York City and York City Knights along with investing £1 million for athletics facilities, “remains on timetable” and preferred sites should be before councillors by July next year.

At a full council meeting last week, city strategy executive member Coun Steve Galloway, said feasibility work commissioned by the ruling executive last June was under way.

“As part of this feasibility study officers are undertaking site selection, needs and financial analysis to identify preferred site(s) and options for the community stadium project,” he said.

“Advisors have been engaged for the project who are providing the advice on financial and planning issues.”

When asked about the current progress by The Press, Coun Galloway said: “My view is that the project remains on timetable and that the options will be identified next year.

“However implementation of any preferred option, assuming that it depends on some commercial investment, will be influenced by the prevailing economic climate.”

May 2012 has been inked in as a target date by which planning permission must be secured for a new stadium, which will allow City to free themselves from the constraints – and maintenance costs – of staying at Bootham Crescent while providing a new home for rugby league and various other leisure and business facilities.

Hicks said: “We are pleased with the progress that has been made over the past few months regarding the new community stadium.

“It has taken some time to gather all the relevant information, but momentum is now building. Our chairman, Jason McGill and our stadium development director, Ian McAndrew are scheduled to meet with stadium project manager, Tim Atkins, and council officials in January to discuss the site options.”

A council spokeswoman said a detailed report, on feasibility and site selection, would be taken to the executive by July 2010 and, in presenting the business case, preferred sites and options would be considered.

• York City’s annual carol service will be held at St Luke’s Church, Burton Stone Lane, on Thursday, December 17.

Manager Martin Foyle and City’s players will be attending with the service followed by complimentary mince pies and hot drinks in Bootham Crescent Social Club. The bar will be open.