DROITWICH Spa Football Club have revealed £1.5million plans to transform their home ground in a bid to take them to the next level.

The Saltmen are proposing to develop King George’s Playing Fields with a new 3G pitch and floodlights.

The ambitious move comes after securing promotion from Midland League Division Two, meaning they must meet ground criteria to play in the 10th tier of English football.

With discussions at an “advanced stage” with Wychavon District Council work is anticipated to start “within the next 12 months”.

In the meantime Droitwich will ground-share next season with the venue expected to be announced soon.

Chairman Peter Lemon said the project was “key” to the future of the 32-year-old club and had been in the pipeline for the past two years.

“The new 3G pitch will provide an excellent football facility for seven year olds through to 70 year olds and help the town become a centre for sporting excellence,” he said.

“The Football Foundation have just undertaken a feasibility study down at King George’s so we are waiting for the outcome of that.

“And all being well the development would start within the next 12 months.

“The plan is to get a 3G pitch with floodlights and fencing all around so there is quite a bit of work to do.

“It will give a really good community facility to Droitwich for not just us but for other clubs in the area as well.”

The scheme is being led by the Community Interest Company set up by four sports clubs in Droitwich along with support from Wychavon Leisure.

“A planning application would have to go in,” Lemon continued.

“But this has been worked through for the last couple of years so the discussions are at quite an advanced stage in terms of the ground being developed.

“It is going to cost over £1.5million.

“The funding will be coming from Wychavon council and the Football Foundation among others.”

Lemon also praised the “fantastic” work of joint-managers Wayne Oliver and Mark Owen who have guided the club to the highest level in their history.

The duo took over the reins in 2014 and Lemon said they were “a year ahead” of where expected when they set out their vision.

“They have done a fantastic job,” Lemon said.

“When they came in we had a five-year plan and we have easily exceeded that in terms of where we wanted to be by now.

“That’s a credit to all their hard work and the players’ efforts.”

Spa have completed their fixtures, winning 20, drawing five and losing five to leave them on top, three points ahead of Alvis Sporting Club.

But their title rivals have two games left to play.

“Two teams should go up but it is subject to the FA’s approval of our ground-share application for next season,” Lemon added.