BOTH sides in the row over the proposed new football stadium for Worcester City are gearing up to present their cases at a public inquiry.

The three-day hearing at the Guildhall starts on Tuesday, May 20, and supporters and objectors are preparing and submitting the evidence they intend to present to the independent planning inspector.

At a Local Plan inquiry in 1995 the inspector agreed that the site on Nunnery Way would be earmarked for the relocation of the football club.

But at this stage the retail element of the proposals, which will provide the funding needed to enable the development of a new stadium, was refused.

This latest inquiry will look again at whether the commercial part of the development proposals should be allowed.

In March this year, Worcester City councillors backed the need for the enabling development subject to 18 conditions, which included having a high standard of design and keeping the amount of retail space to the minimum needed to fund the ambitious project.

But by taking this decision, council members went against the recommendation of city planning officers.

There were also more than 40 objections lodged to the proposed change to the Local Plan from individuals and organisations including local residents groups, Wychavon District Council and the Council for the Protection of Rural England.

Concerns included the increase in the amount of traffic, the impact the stores would have on the city centre and the adverse environmental effects.

Dave Tomaney, policy manager for Wychavon, confirmed that the council would be making representations at the inquiry.

"The council has no objection to the football club, but has objected to the retail development attached to it," he said.

"The proposals are totally against planning policies, on all levels from national to local, including the city's own policies."