DEVELOPER Bloor Homes is eyeing both the football and cricket club grounds off New Street for a major housing scheme.

Ledbury Town FC and Ledbury CC are believed to have been offered new, permanent, facilities on land on Ross Road, near the rugby club, if they agree to move off the site.

The change would need planning permission from Herefordshire Council.

Bloor has already tested the water with "an exploratory meeting" with members of Ledbury Town Council, including mayor Keith Francis.

Coun Francis said: "The plans were very extensive. I've got sympathy with the football club wanting to relocate. They are ambitious and need to improve their facilities if they are to move up a league.

"But Herefordshire Council's Unitary Development Plan (UDP) protects areas of public open space, and Ledbury needs a breathing space, with all the building work that's been done. I can see both sides."

The council's current policy is that it would resist building on of the "important open space and recreation area".

The matter was discussed at last week's full council meeting. A division of opinion became evident between two of Ledbury's representatives on Herefordshire Council, Don Rule and Barry Ashton.

Coun Rule drew attention to the second draft of the UDP, which outline's the council's vision for the development of the county until 2011.

He pointed out that both sports grounds were marked down as areas of recreational public space.

He said of the UDP: "Those of you who are interested in protecting Ledbury, I strongly advise you to take a look at it."

Coun Rule also told the town council that the National Playing Fields Association had set aside money to fight the disposal of playing fields.

Coun Ashton took the view that, because both the football club and cricket club lease their grounds, new permanent sites could help to secure their long-term futures.

He said: "As far as I'm concerned, it is a matter of whether the town can benefit from the proposals being put to it."

Speaking this week, he said: "It's up to the sports clubs and the town. I don't think a public meeting would be unreasonable. It's decision-making time."

Coun Ashton said he understood that Bloor had an option on land off Ross Road. He added: "It's up to Bloor to get planning permission for their proposals."

At the time of going to press, the cricket club could not be contacted for a comment. The chairman of Ledbury Town Football Club, Chris Stephens, said the club had signed a contract with Bloor, preventing it from discussing the issue publicly.

Bloor Homes, of Tewkesbury, was contacted on several occasions, but was unavailable for comment at the time of going to press.