Plans for Southend United's new ground have not been submitted to the council - because of a Bronze Age burial site.

Blues chiefs have been planning to hand in their designs for the new stadium off the A127 for months.

Ron Martin, chairman of the football team's major shareholder Martin Dawn plc, revealed yesterday that the plans were being delayed because of talks with English Heritage.

Mr Martin said: "We want to build the ground at our Boots and Laces training ground location, but we are having problems with an ancient 14-acre Bronze Age burial ground which enters onto our planned site.

"We are currently engaged in negotiations with English Heritage, who obviously want to ensure this historic area remains undamaged before we can continue with our plans."

Mr Martin confirmed the plans for the 15,000-seater stadium, which has the potential to be expanded to a 25,000 capacity, would be submitted later this month.

Southend United's move has been on the cards since the club sold Roots Hall to pay of its debts of £3.87 million last March.

The ground - home to the Blues since the 1950s - is currently being leased back to the Shrimpers by Roots Hall Ltd, a subsidiary of Martin Dawn plc.

The Seasiders will be tenants for a maximum of four years under the deal, which leaves Southend with just over three years to get a new stadium ready.

But United chairman John Main has promised fans the club will not be homeless.

"There is no question of Roots Hall being bulldozed to the ground before we have relocated to a new stadium - this club will not be homeless," he said.

English Heritage were unavailable for comment.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.