.THE County Ground could be redeveloped as Swindon Town's new home if talks between the club, the developers and the council go to plan.

Since the debacle with the Shaw site, the club's supporters' trust has been campaigning to stay at the original site.

More than 2,500 signatures have been collected and Councillor Justin Tomlinson (Con, Abbey Meads) has tabled a motion appealing for the council to work with the club to help redevelop the County Ground.

It will be presented at a council meeting on November 18.

Coun Tomlinson said: "The supporters' trust has been working extremely hard to get to this stage. The fans need to know the club has a future. After Shaw there was a very big void and the relevant parties just weren't talking to one another.

"Now what we want to do is get everyone around the table and find out whether there's an opportunity to redevelop.

"We expect the football club to say we need X, Y and Z to make it work and for the council to decide whether this is possible.

"It's not a new idea but it's something that needs to be explored.

"The problem with other sites is that wherever you put it you will meet objections. We need to learn a lesson from Shaw."

Bob Holt, acting chief executive at the club, has not ruled out County Ground redevelopment as a possibility.

He said: "I am delighted that someone at the council has taken this initiative.

"It's great that there's this plan but I can't tell you whether it's going to be a runner at this early stage.

"It's good news after we had such a hard time back in May."

Details are scant at this early stage regarding how the current stadium would be revamped.

The idea was mooted before when West Swindon protesters voiced their outrage at plans for a 22,000 all-seater stadium at Shaw but there are concerns that the County Ground is too small.

Mr Holt said: "There currently isn't enough space at the County Ground to make it a profitable space.

"We would need to use the stadium to create other revenue earning activities."

However Coun Tomlinson says there could be ways around this, such as extending the football club out to land on the council-run athletics track and turning it into conference facilities.

Both Coun Tomlinson and the supporters' trust are hopeful that the New Swindon Company will also lend their support to the idea.

The company is charged with regenerating the town centre and although the County Ground is not part of their remit, Coun Tomlinson believes a redeveloped football stadium would form a key gateway to the town centre.

Andy Ratcliffe of the Swindon Town supporters' trust said: "The trust has been campaigning and gathering signatures to see the County Ground redeveloped ever since the Shaw debacle.

"We've been working hard to get all the parties talking.

"It's a real opportunity."