A community stadium for Colchester has taken an important step towards becoming reality with a design proposal submitted to the Government.
A planning application has been handed in to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, which was hailed as "an exciting development".
However, further work is still needed before a decision can be taken at Whitehall.
Marie Partner, chief executive of Colchester United FC, said: "It is not the case that the full application is sitting on the Deputy Prime Minister's desk for his consideration.
"There are still other components to the application that have to be submitted and we are working on them with the council now."
The stadium will not only provide a replacement for the U's dilapidated Layer Road ground, but be home to the Colchester United Community Sports Trust and be used by schools and other groups from around the town.
More than 13,000 people have signed the Gazette's Community Stadium Now! petition.
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Published Thursday, December 16, 2004
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