BOROUGH sports bosses are hoping to net £500,000 of funding to create a state-of-the-art new football pitch at Brierley Hill's Dell Stadium.

A bid is being drawn up for submission to the Football Foundation to create an ultra modern artificial turf pitch at the Bryce Road stadium - to entice more teams and make the facility one of the top football sites in the borough.

The proposed grass pitch, however, would have a football specific playing surface which would mean the Dell's resident hockey clubs would end up being turfed out.

Council sports bosses say if their bid is successful and the half a million pound projects goes ahead - the stadium's ageing grass pitch would be replaced with a brand new third generation artificial turf pitch which would boost the facility's use significantly as both training and matches for all age groups could be accommodated and the likelihood of having to postpone games would be limited.

Councillor Khurshid Ahmed, Dudley's cabinet member for planning and economic development, said: “We want to take every opportunity to invest in our sports facilities wherever possible, in line with our commitment to help people lead happy and healthy lives.

“This proposal will invest in a sport which is very popular at the Dell Stadium by improving the playing surface which will attract significantly more clubs.

“We will be submitting the bid through the FA to the Football Foundation shortly and if approved this will revolutionise football training in this important area of the borough.

“The current grass pitches only allow for two games a week in good weather, but the new artificial pitch will give the opportunity to potentially play many more in a day and can be used every day of the week because of the improved surface.

"This clearly demonstrates the opportunity for more matches and football opportunities for local people as well as schools and colleges in the day time.”

Council bosses say they are in talks with the two hockey clubs, which field three teams, who train and play at The Dell about potential alternative sites for them and that England Hockey has been involved in the process.

The authority says the hockey teams train on the site for just three hours a week and play one or two games each Saturday, but football clubs use the venue for more than 20 hours each week.

Cllr Ahmed added: “This is a difficult situation where we have to balance the need for investing in the site in sports which are most popular there, and helping sports teams who may be affected by the proposal. We are continuing to work with the local hockey clubs to make sure they are catered for elsewhere in the borough.”

The bid to the Football Foundation is set to be submitted on Tuesday February 9 - and Dudley Council's cabinet will be asked to approve a £50,000 injection of funds to help with the project at a meeting at The Council House in Dudley on Wednesday February 10.