THE city council’s deputy leader has questioned whether the planning committee chairman “should continue” after the decision to reject plans for a 4,400-capacity stadium were overturned.

Labour’s Adrian Gregson said there is a “question mark” over Tory Chris Mitchell’s future after such a “high-profile overturning of a committee decision that he supported”.

However, when asked by the Worcester News, Cllr Mitchell said: “I do not intend to resign.”

The planning inspectorate felt the benefits of Worcester City FC’s proposed new stadium at Perdiswell Park “would significantly outweigh the harms” – overturning the ruling in a report published on September 28.

The planning committee – which rejected the scheme last July – had been concerned about a potentially negative impact on the character of the land, despite the nearby leisure centre, astro pitches and car park.

Following the rejection of the Perdiswell plan, the club had switched its focus to another site at Parsonage Way – with the council offering up £100,000 for feasibility studies.

But this ground to a halt, after a significant amount had been spent, when officers deemed the project unviable.

Cllr Mitchell, committee chairman, had cast the deciding vote which went against the advice of the planning officer to approve the Perdiswell proposal.

He has also been criticised for a letter printed in the Worcester News this week in which he made a series of factual errors regarding the stadium saga while calling the inspectorate’s ruling a “disappointment”.

Cllr Mitchell referred to the stadium as a “c4,000-seater” though it is actually only intended to include 500 seats but have capacity space for 4,400.

He then wrongly claimed the committee approved stadium plans on Parsonage Way five years ago – which he had confused with Nunnery Way.

The city council had only set up a working group in 2016 to identify potential sites, which led to Parsonage Way being suggested.

In a response letter by reader Steve Blight, he said he couldn’t decide whether the councillor was “mistaken, ill read or just simply inept”.

He said: “If this is an example of Cllr Mitchell’s diligence and eye for detail in carrying out his role, it’s little wonder the planning and development of Worcester appears to be such a shambles.”

However, the club’s fight for a new home, having been ground-sharing for the last five years, is not over yet.

The council owns the proposed site and any sale or lease “would have to be discussed and agreed” by councillors, a spokesman said.