CLYDEBANK FC, Yoker Athletic and West Dunbartonshire Council are in talks to redevelop Holm Park as a shared community stadium.

Both clubs have shared Yoker’s Holm Park since the start of the 2008/2009 season. The plans include a new artificial surface at the ground which will allow the site to be opened up to local boys clubs.

The Bankies had previously been granted £500k council funding towards a new stadium at Faifley Knowes. It is understood that money will now be available for the redevelopment of Holm Park and further funding will be sought.

Although nothing has yet been finalised, talks are at an advanced stage and Clydebank treasurer Bill Abraham believes it would provide both clubs with long term security.

He said: “The plans in place will hopefully secure the future of both clubs. However we are still talking through some logistical issues.

“The artificial pitch would allow us to open up the site for other users. We would envisage that this would be a fantastic facility for the community. A lot of the local boys clubs are having to go out with the town to play their home games.

“We’ll look to get the park used as much as possible and to improve the infrastructure and the look of the place.

“If we can get over the final hurdles, this will allow both clubs to kick on. Talks will continue, we’ll tweak the business plan, but we’re hopeful that it will be measured in weeks rather than months.”

While in the discussions with the council over the Faifley Knowes project, which would’ve given Clydebank their own ground for the first time since 1996, the Holm Park development was mooted as the best option the community and both clubs.

Some residents had voiced their concerns over the proximity of the Faifley Knowes site to their homes. One significant benefit of using that funding on Holm Park, Abraham says, is it will allow the money to go further with the costs involved in creating a new site avoided.

He said: “Whilst in discussions with the council talking through the options, the council suggested that this might be a good chance to secure the futures of both clubs.

“When it was thought through it did make sense and at that point negotiations began with Yoker.

“The grant funding will be used to develop Holm Park. Not building from scratch is an obvious advantage. That would mean the funding and money raised would go further.”

A spokeswoman for West Dunbartonshire Council commented: "Yoker Athletic and Clydebank FC are currently developing a business case for a community football academy at Holm Park. The development would provide a home ground for both clubs and improved facilities for the community. We await the submission of these detailed plans.”

Abraham has revealed that should the plans go ahead, work could get under way very soon with the potential for completion by the start of season 2017/2018.

Clydebank also hope to obtain a licence to allow them to play senior Scottish Cup ties at the ground, in the same way as Linlithgow Rose do. The East Region outfit had a dream run in this year’s competition, going out in the fifth round to Premiership side Ross County.

The early indications are that Holm Park would be run by an overarching company with Yoker and Clydebank being long term tenants on the site.

He added: “The ambition is to make it into a place where, for example, Scottish Cup ties could be held, to obtain a licence to compete in the main Scottish Cup.

“I can’t speak for Yoker but they are an ambitious club too.

“It will be an overarching company who will run this site, we are looking for charitable status. Both clubs will be tenants on the site but it will be a long term lease and both clubs will have representation on the board of the charity.

“It’s a great site as well. It’s in the town, it’s on bus routes, it’s handy for the train."

For the project to to go ahead, the project has to prove to funders there is a need for such a facility. A survey has been commissioned to canvas opinion.

It can be found at: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/Holm_Park_Commsurvey.