BRAINTREE Town chairman Lee Harding believes the club’s proposed new stadium is key to the club’s long-term progress.

Harding is as determined as ever to see a new community stadium built in the town, as Iron’s status continues to grow following their historic promotion to the Conference National.

Plans for the new 6,000-capacity stadium, which would replace the club’s existing Cressing Road ground, were originally unveiled in February, 2008.

Harding said: “We’re working with Braintree District Council on the new stadium.

“With the team we’ve got, the question we’re asking is how far can they take the club?

“We have a group of very hard-working individuals and to be able to sustain playing at this level the new stadium is essential to our long-term consolidation and progress.”

For more Braintree Town coverage - including a special eight-page supplement to mark the club's title success - see this week's Braintree and Witham Times.