PLANS to rebuild the Woking FC stadium to English Football League standards, financed by income from adjacent housing, have been changed to include a medical centre for 14,000 patients and a reduction in height of most of the blocks of flats.

The revised plans were presented to Woking Borough Council and the Cards Trust last week with a pop-up presentation for residents in the Peacocks Centre on Friday.

Ian Nicholson, club chaplain and director representing the Cards Trust, said the changes were made in response to comments from local residents and councillors to plans made public earlier this year.

These included a 10,000-seat stadium with five 10-storey blocks of more than 1,100 flats. The football ground capacity has now been reduced to 9,000 with only part of three blocks reaching 10 storeys containing around 50 fewer flats.

The revised plans were submitted last week to the council, which has now published details of its agreements with the club and GolDev, the developer, including a £250 million loan facility.

Katie Bowes, from South Woking Action Group, which wants a smaller development of the stadium with fewer and less dense housing, said the number and density of the flats had not changed.

“We will still have 10-storey flats, which will define the skyline, which will set a precedent for out-of-town development.”

Ms Bowes said the council and club were committed to the project because of the money the council has spent or committed to it.

“This is being portrayed as the last chance saloon for the club, which is not what the local community would favour.

“There are other options that should be considered.”

For the full story get the 5 December edition of the News & Mail