THE new board of Basingstoke Town Football Club has expressed its firm commitment to return to the Camrose football ground.

Members say they will fight proposals to develop the Winchester Road site and want to see it transformed into a sports hub for the community.

The news will be welcomed by football fans who have long campaigned for a clear messaging from the club'sl eadership over its stance on returning to the Camrose.

In a statement published to their website, the club said: "As it was in the AGM, the continuous theme throughout the evening’s meeting was our 100 per cent commitment to saving the Camrose in our bid to transform the site into a true sports hub to benefit communities across the borough, whilst also providing a permanent home that the club can truly grow from.

"The whole board is united in its front to ensure the long term future of the club with the revival of the gifted facility by Lord Camrose – this focus group will lead the campaign."

Kevin White, the club's newly-elected chairman, said: "Without a doubt, this is something that is a huge priority for the club and has been months in planning already with great work from Steve Williams and Martin French.

"It was important that at the board meeting we got unanimous board agreement to

different aspects of the campaign and now we can proceed full steam ahead with the aim of restarting the heart of our 125-year club, The Camrose."

In line with the club's opposition to the Basron planning applications and the club’s successful submission for the Camrose to be listed as an asset of community value, a sustained campaign will be mounted to ‘Save the Camrose’. This would include firm opposition to any appeal by Basron against the planning refusals.

Club secretary Martin French said: "It is great that the club is back playing in Basingstoke, but the need is for a permanent presence at the iconic Camrose, our traditional home where we would have control to secure our future success as a Community Club.

He continued: "At the same time the Camrose is brilliantly positioned to be transformed into a community sports hub for youth and other local people.”

The club added they would be "seeking dialogue" with Rafi Razzak, the former owner of the club and freeholder of the majority of the football ground.

Last year, The Gazette launched its Two Stadiums, Not One campaign to lobby against the loss of the Camrose football ground without adequate mitigation.

In September, we wrote to councillors to call for them to reject proposals to turn the historic site into flats. The development control committee throughout plans, against the wishes of the council's planning officers who had recommended it for approval.