BRADFORD (Park Avenue) chairman Gareth Roberts has issued a statement detailing plans that a potential groundshare of Horsfall with West Bowling Amateur Rugby League Club could be on the cards.

Earlier this week, Avenue announced that a planning application had been submitted by the club for an artificial pitch and, ahead of a fans forum this evening, Roberts confirmed that they should know whether the plans have been accepted on March 26.

The Bradford chairman also outlined a proposed link-up with National Conference League club West Bowling, which will help with running costs at the stadium.

Roberts will work with incoming stadium operations manager Mark Leadbeater and director of development Colin Wilson to eventually help revenue grow on matchday and increase the size of Avenue's academy.

Roberts' statement read: "(At the forum) I will be introducing Mark Leadbeater as our full-time Stadium Operations Manager, and Colin Wilson our Director of Development, who some if you might have noticed hanging around the club recently but he has actually been doing a great job of helping us secure a stadium worthy of playing great football.

"As I mentioned over the new year we are planning improvements to the stadium including a new surface and hospitality.

"We have been working with the West Bowling rugby league teams to have them base out of Horsfall as a major partner which will help everyone to support the cost of running the stadium and they are also applying for eligible grant funding to underwrite some of the improvements.

"We shall know by March 26 whether the project will be definitely going ahead, and indications are good so far.

"If the project goes ahead we expect it to start work in early May and be finished by August.

"At this point we are very confident that it will and assuming that it will, then our priorities next year will be to increase our match day revenues and increase the size of our academy.

"With a 3G pitch available during the day our Academy students are going to enjoy studying and playing at Horsfall.

"We hope to increase the size of the Academy over the next few years which will provide not only a great experience for them but will provide a source of young players that will knock on the door of the first team. Perhaps we will gain some new supporters alongside them."

The fans forum will be held in the club house at Horsfall this evening, starting at 7pm with floor open for questions.

A report from the forum will follow on the T&A website