IT is D-Day for WSDL and protest groups – as council bosses meet tonight to decide the fate of the controversial stadium proposals.

Wycombe District Council’s Cabinet members will meet tonight to decide how to progress the long-mooted project – or whether to scrap it altogether.

Sources told the Free Press there was a strong lobby pressing to abandon the scheme during a meeting of the Wycombe Conservatives on Wednesday.

And speculation grew further that an informal decision had already been made by council hierarchy as a result of that meeting.

But the council’s Tory leader Cllr Alex Collingwood insists all options are still open, with a decision to be made after a full discussion at tonight’s meeting.

He told the BFP: “All political parties have informed group discussion forums and debates on a wide range of issues.

"However, they have no formal decision making powers within the council.

"The decisions are made by the Cabinet, noted at full council, and the stadium proposal decision will be made by Cabinet after a full debate in public.”

The crunch meeting comes after months of debate over the proposals by Wycombe Sports Developments Ltd, which wants to build a 17,500 capacity stadium, sports village and ‘enabling developments’ at Wycombe Air Park.

Steve Hayes, owner of Wycombe Wanderers and London Wasps, believes the complex would not only secure the future of the clubs, but boost economy and community wellbeing, “leaving a lasting legacy’ for High Wycombe.

But campaigners – led by protest group Groups Against Stadium Proposals – have launched a staunch defence against the plans, which culminated with a huge demonstration around the town on Saturday (see links).

Protesters are against the development of the Green Belt land, do not believe the council should help finance the project, and have not been convinced by WSDL that the scheme is needed or by the company’s business plans.

The public meeting kicks off at 7pm at WDC’s HQ in Queen Victoria Road.

The council is expected to open up additional rooms with PA systems to cater for the expected larger-than-usual public turnout.

Visit the BFP’s website for live coverage of tonight’s crunch meeting.