SECOND-to-bottom Brockenhurst have been spared relegation from the new Sydenhams Premier Division, formerly the Wessex League Division 1.

And with Portland United resigning from the top flight and the top three of Winchester City, Thatcham Town and Andover all promoted to the Southern League, it clears the way for four clubs to come up from the old Wessex 2.

Champions Locks Heath and runners-up Hayling United have failed to get their grounds up to scratch, so promotion will instead be handed to Brading Town and Downton, who finished third and fourth.

Surprisingly, Horndean and Ringwood Town, who came well down the pecking order in sixth and ninth respectively, will also be elevated to the top flight - provided the recommendations of the league management committee are passed at the AGM.

BAT, whose future is under threat by the proposed September closure of their Southern Gardens home, have been pencilled in for another season in the Premier ranks.

Alf Peckham, chairman of the Sydenhams League, explained: "There are still discussions going on and, since the sale of the BAT Sports Ground isn't going as the company thought, we've written to ask if they can give the football club a year's extension on the ground.

"We want to give BAT every possible chance of staying in the league."

The old Wessex 2 (now Sydenhams 1) sees the bottom two, Whitchurch United and Bishop's Waltham, relegated.

Laverstock & Ford and Verwood - second and third respectively in the old Wessex 3 - will be promoted ahead of champs Paulsgrove, who also fell down on ground grading.

Warminster have successfully applied to switch across from the Wiltshire Premier into the new Sydenhams 1.

And, pending permission from the FA's rules revision committee, Gillingham will join the Wessex ranks from the Dorset Premier League.

There is no relegation from the old Wessex 3, while new on the scene are Wellow from the Southampton League.

The 2006/7 constitution has still to be rubber-stamped at the Sydenhams AGM (Sunday, June 18, 10.30am at BAT) and there could well be protests from the likes of Locks Heath, who had hoped to be promoted on the promise of upgrading their facilities.

But Peckham said: "These clubs all say they've got 'plans' but the league have got to see something concrete.

"We've been pretty lenient this year, but next season we need to see proof of the ground improvements by April 1 - if not, clubs won't even be considered for promotion.

"The one that might surprise a few people is Horndean going up , but the officials who inspected their ground said you'd be amazed by what they've done over there."