MINEHEAD Football Club's home could be razed to the ground and replaced with a multi-purpose new community building under controversial proposals unveiled this week.

The possible demolition of the Irnham Road ground complex, which includes a grandstand, club house, changing rooms and social facility, follows a damning structural report highlighting a series of serious problems.

Devon-based surveyors Shaplands, commissioned to carry out a study of the state of the buildings, have concluded that even basic repairs and refurbishment would leave owners Minehead Town Council facing a £75,000 bill.

In addition, the authority would also have ongoing maintenance and rates bills of around £20,000 a year.

The council's finance and staffing committee agreed on Monday that 'doing nothing' with the buildings was not an option, leaving five remaining alternatives - including demolition - to be considered by all councillors at a later date.

But the committee also voted to find out the likely cost of pulling the buildings down.

Cllr Jenny Lennon-Wood, who has spearheaded the latest investigation, told the committee that it was a very sensitive issue because the buildings had been "somewhat controversial".

But with councillors pledging to provide a temporary home for the football club if the demolition option is chosen, Cllr Lennon-Wood said she saw the situation as "a fantastic, exciting opportunity" to provide a new complex for a wide range of community uses.

She said there was a need to talk to all groups involved, including the football club.

Currently, footballers are using just a small part of the complex, after handing back the keys for the social area at least a year ago.

The major part has been lying empty and in a deteriorating state of repair while the council considers its future.

Cllr Lennon-Wood said the report from the surveyors was very damning.

The buildings contained a substantial amount of asbestos, which would would require specialist treatment.

She said the report did not even deal with the electrics, which were potentially dangerous.

In addition, the buildings had very little heating or roof insulation and many of the windows needed restoring.

Drainage, fire safety and the level of radon gas on the site had also not been costed in the surveyors' report as all three areas required specialist advice.

"Spending £75,000 does not give us a usable building," said Cllr Lennon-Wood.

She said the buildings as they stood were costing the council considerable money and were open to vandalism.

"At the moment, they are a liability, a complete waste of resources - we have to do something.

"In my view this is a golden opportunity to knock them down and replace them with a community building - it is an ideal place and it will be so sad if we miss this opportunity."

Cllr Lennon-Wood said the council had a duty to consider the football club but temporary accommodation - probably a portacabin-type building - could be provided for as little as £16,000.

Other options for the existing buildings, apart from total replacement or basic refurbishment, include:

l Carrying out the basic repairs plus additional specialist work.

l Demolition without replacement.

l Partial demolition, retaining and refurbishment of some buildings for the football club and other community. organisations, such as the youth service.

Mayor Cllr Simon Stokes said the current buildings had practically bankrupted three football club committees.

"The buildings are not appropriate for use - we know the costs just for making it safe are huge and it would still not be fit for purpose.

"Running it as a football club alone doesn't work. Jenny has worked hard for a year to find alternative partners to make it pay as a community facility but it doesn't stack up - the reason the football club has failed so many times is because it had this millstone around its neck."

Cllr Stokes said councillors should be looking at a two-stage project with the demolition and provision of temporary accommodation for the football club as the first step, followed by the longer term commitment to providing a replacement community building.

Councillors agreed that any new-build could only be achieved following public consultation and, possibly, a fundraising initiative.

Committee chairman Cllr Mandy Chilcott said she had found details of a town council in Wiltshire which had built a new community hall, catering for youth, footballers and other groups, for £350,000.

"This needs to be a building that everyone has access to - it needs to be a living, breathing building.

"It will not be a quick process but we have the opportunity to regenerate this whole area."