Welsh Premier league football is one step closer to being secured in a Mid Wales town after two clubs agreed to share a ground in a deal.

Plans for the arrangement between Welshpool Town FC and Waterloo Rovers FC have now been agreed “in principle” following a meeting between the two clubs and the town council on Thursday.

Welshpool Town faces expulsion from the Welsh Premier Football League because it cannot meet strict ground criteria set down for the 2010/11 season.

The club’s current council-owned Maesydre home fails to meet the standards because it is open on one side due to a cricket pitch.

Last month, Welshpool Town Council’s recreation committee voted in favour of a ground swop between the two clubs. But following the vote members received letters from Waterloo Rovers opposing the swop, although the club said it would be prepared to share its main pitch at Maesydre.

A spokesman for Welshpool Town Football Club said Waterloo Rovers had now agreed “in principle” to a ground sharing proposal.

He said: “The two clubs sat around a table with Welshpool Town Council on Thursday to thrash out a solution to the problem.

“The town council and Welshpool Town football club will now seek guidance from Powys County Council before going ahead with a feasibility study on the building of a new stadium on the extension field, currently occupied by Waterloo.

“Under the terms agreed Welshpool Town FC would take on a 25-year lease on the ground with Waterloo becoming the club’s tenant on a sub lease basis.”