THE future of a North-East football ground is back on the agenda after the club voiced an interest in buying the land.

Hartlepool Council has set up a special committee following a request from Hartlepool United Football Club to re-open negotiations on the possible sale of land on which the Victoria Park stadium stands, along with open land to the north of the ground.

Four members of the council's cabinet will form the committee - councillors Robbie Payne, Peter Jackson, Pamela Hargreaves and Victor Tumilty - with coun Payne acting as chairman.

The Victoria Park land, in Clarence Road, is owned by the council and leased to the club.

A Cabinet meeting heard yesterday (Monday) that a letter had been received from the club asking that negotiations be re-opened.

This follows the council's decision last year to decline an offer from the club to purchase the land.

At that time, members of the Hartlepool United executive committee - set up by the council specifically to consider the club's offer - decided that a sale would be premature, given the potential for significant re-development of the area around Victoria Park in the future.

Councillor Payne said today: "The new committee has been set up following a fresh approach from Hartlepool United FC, and members will meet club representatives in due course to listen to what they have to say."

The football club said it did not wish to comment at this stage.