AFTER months of delays, Wootton Bassett Rugby Club is on the move.

The sale of the club’s site at Stoneover Lane is complete and contracts signed with property developers Taylor Wimpey.

The money made from the sale of the land it co-owns with Wiltshire Council and the town council has given the club the opportunity to move to its existing second site at Ballards Ash.

It is there the club plans to build a new clubhouse for its increasing membership.

Club vice-chairman Jim Brierley said he was keen to have all members playing on one site, rather than at two different ones.

“We’ve got an ever expanding population of minis and juniors,” he said.

“What we want to do is unite the club on one premises rather then have different fractions in different places.

“It’s all to meet the club’s needs.

“We are an ambitious club and we want to develop our playing strength and this is the next step, on that basis.

“We are hoping to attract new players to the club and hopefully move back up the leagues.”

The club, which has about 500 members, has negotiated a nine-month lease to remain at Stone-over Lane at a peppercorn rate.

This is to allow for work to be completed on the clubhouse and existing facilities at Ballards Ash, where there is a changing room block which the club will continue to use for its usual purpose.

Mr Brierley said: “In the new clubhouse we are looking for a bar area, which will serve the needs of the members, and a kitchen so we can produce food after the matches.

“We anticipate some sort of area for a function room and a community room and a reception area, as well as somewhere we can put all our merchandise available to sell.”

Since the sale of the land, the club has liaised with architects to look at the initial outline plans for the new clubhouse facility.

The new plans are not expected to differ greatly and it is thought work will be carried out next summer in time for the start of the club’s season at the end of 2012.