FEARS over parking problems and congestion have been raised by residents in Suffolk over plans for a new �2million football stadium.

A public consultation into a scheme for a new community football ground at Moreton Hall, near Bury St Edmunds, found 91% of visitors supported the project.

As well as a new home for Bury Town Football Club, the 11-acre site would also house training and playing facilities for senior, junior, disabled and mini-soccer teams.

But concerns were raised at a community drop-in event last month that parking at the new centre could not accommodate match-day traffic.

Terry Buckle, a St Edmundsbury borough councillor for Moreton Hall, said: “I am concerned.

“People have got to park somewhere. They will end up parking on grass verges and cause problems with traffic flow which could lead to an accident.”

St Edmundsbury Borough Council is working with the Suffolk Football Association and the Football Foundation to relocate the town’s football club from its present home at Ram Meadow.

The club’s current ground in the town centre needs an upgrade worth �750,000 to meet modern standards.

As well as a full-size artificial football surface, the new site at Moreton Hall would have grass pitches, a club house and a development centre with classroom.

To secure extra funding for the new project, the group has to submit a bid to the Football Foundation and Football Stadia Improvement Fund by December.

During the public consultation into the project, 91% of the 80 visitors supported the scheme, saying it would be good for Moreton Hall and the community. But 59% of people raised concerns there were not enough parking spaces to deal with home matches.

Around 34% of people also said they had concerns about site access and congestion along Skyliner Way.

Officers are now in discussions about increasing parking and access to the site as well as investigating if extra buses can be provided on match days.

jo.thewlis@eadt.co.uk