A £1.5M scheme to redevelop Oxford City Football Club is set to receive a boost from city council leaders tomorrow night.

Last year, the club, based at Court Place Farm, off Marsh Lane, Marston, submitted a planning application for the proposal, which features an all-weather pitch, six netball courts, four grass pitches and new changing rooms.

It is expecting to hear from the Football Foundation in February that its application for a £1m grant has been approved.

However, the foundation – the UK’s largest sports charity – will not provide the grant unless Oxford City Council puts at least £100,000 towards the scheme. City councillors are being asked to approve a grant of £125,000.

The club will then pay £25,000 back to the council each year for the next five years to cover the cost of ground maintenance.

Oxford City chairman Brian Cox said: “This is a crucial grant from the city council and everyone at the club is delighted. We were named the 2008 Community Club of the Year by the Football Foundation and once this scheme goes ahead we will be able to spread our net even wider.

“The council grant helps us to look forward to the next stage and it’s an extremely positive development.”

Managing director Colin Taylor said the club hoped the Football Foundation would approve the £1,025,000 grant in February.

He added: “We got planning permission for the scheme in July and £350,000 of funding has also been ring-fenced from Sport England, which is backed by the National Lottery.

“The whole scheme could cost between “£1.5m and £1.9m. The new facility will be available for 90 hours a week because it is floodlit and that’s good news for our teams and for schools, colleges and the community.”

Oxford City FC was established in 1882 and runs 20 teams, including youth boys and girls teams, adult male and female teams, and veterans – a total of about 500 players.

The first team plays in the Southern League’s Premier Division.

Bob Timbs, the city council’s executive member for leisure, said: “The benefits for the community of these new pitches will be huge.”

Deputy council leader Ed Turner added: “We really want Oxford City to succeed with this bid because it’s a fantastic project that will provide brilliant facilities for the club and the local community.”

The club hopes building will start in June next year and be completed by October, according to the report to the council’s executive board, which recommends that the £125,000 grant should be approved.

The Football Foundation is funded by the Premier League, the Football Association, Sport England and the Government.

The club is also keeping the Oxfordshire Netball Association informed about its proposals.

Athletes from the Oxford and District Sports and Recreation Association, which is based in Marsh Lane, could also use the netball pitches.

affrench@oxfordmail.co.uk