Poole Town officials have expressed “bewilderment and frustration” at a delay in their bid for a new ground.

The ambitious £2m plans for the new facilities at Canford Magna were due to be heard by Poole council’s planning committee this week.

But the non-league club’s application has been put on ice, denting their hopes of playing at their new home by early next season.

The council said a delay in providing a flood risk assessment for the scheme was behind the postponement.

Chris Reeves, Poole Town’s vice-chairman, said: “We have furnished the council with everything it needs, with all outstanding reports supplied weeks ago.

“We were disappointed that the matter was not dealt with in February and are very disappointed that the March hearing is now not going ahead.”

Mr Reeves said the club’s planning consultants Tanner & Tilley had not been told why the application had been put on hold.

He added that many of the club’s loyal supporters had taken a day off work to attend tomorrow’s planning meeting and now faced losing a day’s holiday or pay.

Despite having received widespread support for the Canford plans, the delay will chill a club still smarting from the 11th hour rejection of their proposals for Branksome Rec.

After apparently winning council support for the Branksome scheme, the plans were halted by the planning board, leaving the Dolphins £20,000 out of pocket.

Stephen Thorne, the council’s head of planning, said the report into the Canford scheme would be “concluded shortly” and the application was now due to be heard on April 14.

“Unfortunately the application was delayed by problems arising from the statutory requirement for the submission of a flood risk assessment,” said Mr Thorne.