Plans for a major development of Aberystwyth Town football club’s home ground has been recommended for approval by council planners despite Natural Resources Wales raising flooding fears.

The club submitted plans for the Aberystwyth University Park Avenue Stadium earlier this year following a consultation, and the scheme will be brought before Ceredigion County Council’s Development Management Committee on 13 August.

Home to the Black and Greens for over 100 years, the club’s long-term vision strives to deliver “facilities of the highest standard, fit for the next generation of football in mid Wales” and “illustrates the club’s clear ambition to meet the challenges and opportunities of the future.”

The club tumbled out of the top flight of Welsh football last year for the first time since the creation of the Cymru Premier –then known as the League of Wales - in 1992.

Town are hoping to bounce straight back out of the JD Cymru South into an expanded 16-team Cymru Premier next year.

The plan includes the erection of a two-and-a-half storey building extending from the existing gantry, providing state-of-the-art facilities.

It features new players’ and officials’ changing rooms, first-floor clubhouse, community and function rooms providing panoramic pitch-side views, and outdoor bar and terrace with elevated spectator seating and disability provision.

The plan also includes the erection of a 310-seater stand behind the goal opposite the Dias Stand, the formalisation of “Nark’s Corner” as a covered 360-person capacity standing terrace, the erection of a roof over the existing open stand, the re-building of the adjacent disability viewing platform, and erection of replacement turnstiles and toilet facilities adjacent to the gantry.

A single-storey building is proposed at the ground’s main entrance to provide high-quality secondary changing rooms and facilities to include replacement primary turnstiles.

Planning documents said the upgrades are needed to meet UEFA criteria for European football and that the “existing main stand and changing rooms are in a state of deterioration and require significant investment if required to serve the club for years in the future.”

“Hence, modern and fit-for-purpose facilities are proposed to revitalise the site,” documents added.

“The proposal would see significant investment made to Aberystwyth Town Football Club to offer unrivalled local and regional community provisions for individuals of all ages and abilities.”

NRW raised concerns over flooding saying the area was a “significant flood risk” and called for more work to be done on the application before it can be supported.

Documents said that that NRW are “unable to verify the data is accurate or up to date” and the club declined to carry out more modelling work due to costs.

A Ceredigion County Council planning report concludes: “The application represents an opportunity to improve facilities at the football ground to enable high level matches to be played in Aberystwyth to the benefit of not only the immediate community but on a county-wide basis also.

“Despite the objection from NRW on flooding grounds it is the opinion that the scheme can be supported.”