A BID to force the sale of the Molins sports ground in Monks Risborough is fading because of rising costs.

The cost of buying the grounds in Mill Lane looks set to rise to over £1 million which, Princes Risborough Town Council chairman Alan Turner, said last night was 'not viable'.

Molins Sports and Social Club was closed three years ago after the club was evicted by Molins PLC who own the land.

At the time Wycombe District Council and the town council put in an unsuccessful bid for the grounds. Since then the town council and the social club's committee have been working on a business plan to get it back.

They were hoping WDC would put a compulsory purchase order (CPO) on the site, who had agreed to pay 50 per cent of the cost with the town council picking up the other half.

But Cllr Turner said the town council have reached their borrowing ceiling and cannot go above £350,000.

He said: “I think it is fair to say we were getting disillusioned as the costs of a CPO went up and up.

“There was simply no end to the reasons why it was going to cost more. We were looking at anywhere between £350,000 to £500,000 in extra costs.

“WDC know there are limitations to the amount we can borrow. We are close to that line and cannot go higher.”

He added if they borrowed more than £350,000 to buy the site they could be seen as acting irresponsibly by their auditors and “at the end of the day we have financial responsibility.”

WDC officers are now looking into whether hope value will have to be applied to the purchase, which would send the costs higher.

Cllr Bill Bendyshe-Brown said: “I think it is an asset we cannot afford to lose as a town. It such a good ground we shouldn't give it up.”

Cllr Turner said if the CPO does fall through there are other options to buy the site and they will fight to keep this "excellent facility."

An application has been put forward to WDC to demolish the building where the club was housed after a fire started there at the start of the month.

Spokesman for WDC Catherine Spalton said: “We are continuing our discussions with Princes Risborough Town Council regarding the site.”