CHAIRMAN Lee Harding says he has made it his mission to deliver a new ground for Braintree Town and has confirmed that their Cressing Road home has not been sold.

Fears have been expressed on social media recently that the Iron's board are looking to sell the ground they have called home for 96 years without having a new stadium to move to.

Harding says that is far from the truth, though, and said the vast majority of board members, especially himself, are committed to delivering a new home.

A development partner is in place to purchase Cressing Road so that if and when the club and Braintree Council reach an agreement over a new location, they will be in a position to move.

And while Harding said much of what had been worked on so far had to be kept behind closed doors due to legal agreements, he was pleased that positive steps were being made towards something he was extremely keen to deliver.

He said: “The dealings we have with our development partner are covered by a non-disclosure agreement so we can’t put too much out there and we have to make sure we get it right.

“I understand people wanting to know but we are taking steps forward that the club will get the benefits from.

“I know there are some who are fearful of change and that’s natural but we are focused on taking the club forward.

“The majority of the board are only interested in protecting the future of the club and that includes delivering a new stadium.

“I’ve been working on it since January 4, 2004 and I have been very clear in saying that it is my personal target to deliver a new stadium before I die.

“Hopefully I’ve got another least ten to 15 years left in me.

"However, things do move slowly in Braintree but I am committed to delivering that.

“I really do believe that, between us all, we can deliver a new stadium that looks after the council tax payers of Braintree and looks after the interests of the club.

“I will work to that end until such time that I truly believe there is no chance of delivering it."

Harding said developments had reached a stage where thoughts had started turning to what would be required and desired from a new stadium.

With that in mind, a committee had been formed with club representatives and supporters drawing up a list of things that they would want and need from their new home when it came to the time to relocate.

He added: “What we have been asked to do by our development partners is to put together a wish list for the new stadium.

“To that end, we have set up a ground relocation committee, which first came together last week.

“We had directors on there, shareholders, representatives from the supporters’ club and supporters all looking at plans that have been drawn up.

“These are all things that we will try to put into place for whatever level of football we are at and would see us into the Football League.

“So we have got a lot of very constructive ideas that we can push on with and that we can look at incorporating now.”