Plans for a new leisure village scheme in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, have taken a step forward after the local authority started its search for a preferred developer.

Scarborough Borough Council (SBC) has placed a notice in the Official Journal of the European Union and is inviting expressions of interest to deliver the scheme at the former Weaponness park and ride facility. A new community football venue - built to a Football Association Grade C standard - and associated leisure facilities are planned as part of the development, which was approved in January 2009.

The new ground, which it is hoped will be ready for the 2014-15 season, was given the green light after SBC decided that renovating the existing Seamer Road stadium would be too expensive. A SBC spokesperson said: "The council does not have any capital monies to contribute to the project, so the council's contribution will be its land.

"In return for the construction of the facilities, the council could offer either the freehold or leasehold of up to four sites to a developer for development of whatever suitable uses they can obtain through the formal planning process." SBC acquired the Seamer Road stadium from administrators acting on behalf of Scarborough Football Club, which was liquidated in 2007.