MALVERN Town have revealed plans to improve their ground for footballers and the community.

The progressive West Midlands League Premier Division club have agreed a rolling lease with land owners Malvern Hills District Council for the Langland Stadium.

It enables Town to chase funding for their Project 2020, which involves replacing the grass surface with a top-of-the-range artificial football pitch and building a larger clubhouse and a community centre facing the hills for the turn of the decade.

Since Chris Pinder and Ted Grizzell took over the club late last year, they ditched the previous board’s plans to move to a new site and spruced up the ground — Town’s home for more than 65 years — over the summer, renaming it the HDanywhere Community Stadium in a sponsorship deal.

Managing director Pinder said: “Because of the strong partnership between Malvern Town and the council, the club and surrounding communities stand to benefit from the Langland Stadium facility for years to come.

“With a lease in place, we will be more likely to generate further sponsorship and financial support for the club from more businesses and private investors.

“We fully intend to continue to invest in the stadium in order to improve its facilities and make the venue appealing to the local community at large, not just sport enthusiasts and football fans.”

Town have also asked the council to make the ground an asset of community value.

Pinder added: “This gives the club the first opportunity to buy the land if the council ever considered selling it, which is not at the forefront of their minds anyway.”

Town are working on a business and community development plan. Once agreed, the council intend to grant a long-term lease.

Councillor Phil Grove, portfolio holder with responsibility for leisure, said: “The completion of the handover and lease are the culmination of 18 months of joint working between the club and the council that has resulted in a ‘win-win’ outcome for the football community and the wider community of the Pickersleigh ward.”

Malvern visit Bilston Town Community in the league tomorrow (3pm) after falling 3-2 at Pegasus Juniors.

They slipped two goals behind by half-time before Bryan Craven’s 69th-minute penalty only for Town’s Jamie Smith to be sent off for a professional foul. Craven levelled with a late penalty but Pegasus won with the last kick of the game.