Housing slump hits stadium plans

The club moved out of the Victoria Ground in 1997

Plans to redevelop Stoke City FC's former ground have been put on hold because of the housing market slump.

Property developers St Modwen had secured planning permission to build houses on the Victoria Ground.

The club had played at the ground since 1878 before leaving for the Britannia Stadium in 1997.

Mike Herbert, of St Modwen, said he was confident the site would be redeveloped eventually but the present market conditions were not right.

No alternatives

Planning permission was secured despite opposition from residents who wanted the ground turned into a park.

Mr Herbert said: "We managed to get planning consent after quite some delays for residential redevelopment and we all know where the residential market is at the moment.

"We are considering if there are other alternatives for the site. I haven't got something that I believe will work at the moment so I don't know what the solution is.

"In the short term we will just keep it as it is now.

"It will get redeveloped but exactly when? Very hard to say."

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