Following extensive investigations work by Worcester City Council into the potential for using the Parsonage Way site as a new ground for Worcester City Football Club (WCFC), a report is set to be considered by councillors.

The report to the Policy and Resources Committee recommends that no more work is done to investigate the site’s suitability.

It says making the site usable could cost up to £2.5 million, including the building of a traffic junction. Studies have also found rare wildlife species on the site.

The report, which will be considered by the Committee on July 30, concludes that “development of the site for the proposed use by WCFC [is] an unrealistic option.”

In September last year, the Committee agreed to spend up to £100,000 on investigations into whether Parsonage Way, in the north-east of Worcester near M5 Junction 6, could be suitable for use as a new ground for WCFC.

Just over £57,000 of that fund has been spent on modelling the potential pitch, stands and car-parking arrangements; topographical studies of the site; highways research and modelling; and an ecological survey of the site.

The report says that it would cost more than £200,000 to level out the land and then lay an irrigation system and establish a natural pitch, ,so that football could be played there.

“A significant six figure sum” is reported to be needed to create traffic access to the site, with options including a new roundabout, traffic lights, a dedicated right turn, or a left-in left-out junction.

An interim ecological study on the site has revealed the presence of both bats and great crested newts. The report says this means Natural England would need to provide licences to allow development at the site, likely to cost around £2,500 for each species. The report adds, “There can be no guarantee that light generating development, including breakages in the hedgerow for access to the site, new street lighting along Parsonage Way as well as floodlights, would receive support from Natural England.”

There is a covenant on the land, which restricts what it can be used for. Changing this to allow it to be used as a football ground will incur a further cost – still subject to negotiation – for the council, the report notes.

The report concludes: “The significant issues raised in this report in respect of ground levelling work, highways mitigation measures and ecological constraints make the development of the site for the proposed use by WCFC an unrealistic option.

“Based on the findings from the feasibility studies, in particular the ecological constraints relating to bats and great crested newts and the significant cost of delivering the proposed facilities on site, it is recommended that no further work is carried out to establish whether Parsonage Way is a suitable and deliverable location for WCFC.

“The indicative costs for the delivery of a scheme on the site are in the region of £1.5 million to £2.5 million depending on the cost of the different mitigation measures, in particular the highway mitigation measures.”