BURY AFC has announced it is looking at options for a "purpose built stadium" if acquiring Gigg Lane is not an option.

The club, which was formed amid the wreckage of the financial collapse of Bury FC, played just seven games last season before their North West Counties League First Division North campaign was curtailed due to the ongoing pandemic.

The phoenix club played its homes games at Radcliffe FC's Neuven Stadium and officials have confirmed they will return their again for the forthcoming season.

But the aim of the club remains finding a ground of their own and with the future of Gigg Lane remaining uncertain they are exploring other options going forward.

"We know that at a certain point, our current groundshare arrangement will set a natural limit on our ability to generate revenue," said a spokesperson for the club in a lengthy statement on the Bury AFC website. "In turn, this will limit our progress through the leagues and into professional football.

"We do need a ground strategy, and have now approached Bury Council to understand their appetite to support it. They have agreed to assist us by providing some of their expertise to help us produce a robust business plan which supports our ambitions and evidences its financial sustainability.

"We are also exploring whether we can access a small amount of funding to start this project."

Administrators confirmed earlier this month that Gigg Lane was on the market. The ground, which has been Bury FC's home since the club was founded in 1885, is one of the world's oldest professional football stadiums and has a capacity of 12,500.

'Unconditional offers' are being sought for the entire 6.4-acre stadium site, which also includes the ticket office and club shop.

Metro Mayor Andy Burnham has promised to work with Bury Council leader Cllr Eamonn O'Brien and local MPs to acquire the site.

James Daly, Bury North MP, has pledged to use specific government funding to make the purchase, as Gigg Lane could be classified as a community asset with Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Robert Jenrick MP, backing his fellow Conservative on a recent visit to Gigg Lane.

"We know many fans will ask if this is simply a question of acquiring Gigg Lane and moving in as soon as possible. It is not," continued the statement. "We have agreed to look at a minimum of two options. "This is essential if we are to demonstrate that credible, commercial thinking sits behind our bid and is required by the Council.

"One will be a modernised Gigg Lane, the other will be a new, purpose-built stadium in Bury. We know our fans will have their own preferences and, again, our members’ views will be obtained electronically once the options are more fully developed."

Despite their controversial birth, Bury AFC has benefited from selling more than 2,000 replica shirts, while they also have more than 1,600 members paying £60 a year for membership.

"Gigg Lane is one of the oldest grounds in the country," said the statement. "Its history evokes emotion, but it is limited in its ability to generate income outside match days.

"We believe it will be essential to explore ways of modernising the ground to ensure it produces predictable revenues during the working week. This, along with the problems created by the car park leases, takes the capital outlay required to operate Gigg Lane sustainably much greater than the purchase price alone.

"A new stadium avoids many of the problems involved in converting old to new, but comes with its own challenges. A location would need to be found. Whilst maintenance costs might be lower, the initial capital required would be higher and it would need both the agreement of any residents and acceptance from Bury fans."

The club also raises the question of whether the ground is a based on a commercial or community asset model.

"There are many things we cannot control, including the sale of Gigg Lane to a private buyer," concludes the statement. "However, we believe this offers the best chance of progress.

"Bury Council has not been presented with a business plan from any other group or individual to date. "We believe there is an opportunity to bring in voices from outside Bury AFC to contribute and discuss the plans as they evolve, provided they are prepared to accept the principles outlined here, and by Bury Council, including the need to evidence financial sustainability and examine an option other than Gigg Lane. To this end we will form a working group and invite other representatives to attend once established.

"Our next steps will be to agree the initial funding required for the first part of the planning process with Bury Council, obtain external funding where available, and ask members to vote if we recommend use of our own funds."