EASTLEIGH'S Silverlake Stadium has been given the green light for a major million pound development.

Bosses have confirmed they have been given the go ahead for their biggest ground improvement project to date.

Eastleigh Football Club has been granted planning permission for a new two-storey clubhouse complex at the north end of their Silverlake Stadium home.

Chairman Stewart Donald's Spitfires have been eagerly waiting for the go-ahead from Eastleigh Borough Council, who granted the application late last week.

Now the ambitious National League club will get to work on a £1 million-plus project from Monday.

It’s a development that will not only benefit fans but will ensure the club’s growing band of staff no longer have to operate out of temporary buildings scattered round the ground.

Taking to social media Eastleigh FC tweeted: “We are delighted to announce we have been given the go ahead – work will start Monday.”

The planning documents have permitted the erection of a two storey building to provide club house, education room and shop at ground floor and executive club, board room and police surveillance at first floor following removal of two porta cabins.

Eastleigh CEO Mark Jewell previously said: “This will tidy up our facilities and improve the matchday experience, not just for the fans but for the safety officers and all the people who currently work out of portable buildings.

“We want to bring everything together and create a permanent structure to be proud of so that when we get TV cameras here, it will feel like a proper football club rather than one that’s just come out of the lower echelons.

“Whilst a lot of our ground improvements – the terracing and the Mackoy Community Stand – are obvious, facilities have been stagnant behind the scenes, making the day-to-day running of the club difficult.

“Myself and club secretary Ray Murphy can have our own office and Chris (team boss Chris Todd) won’t have to work out of a Portakabin any more. Even simple things like wi-fi would be improved.

"We need a proper business facility.

“With casual staff, including around 40 matchday stewards and bar staff, we’ve got 150-odd people working here now compared to just two or three permanent staff and a few casuals when we first arrived.

"That's how much the club has grown.”

The temporary building currently housing Eastleigh's executive club downstairs and the scholars’ classroom/safety officers’ control room upstairs, will be relocated while work is in progress.

Jewell estimates the new complex, to be stationed behind the covered terrace known as The Shed, will take around six months to complete and fans are expecting the new clubhouse for Christmas this year.

Eastleigh have already invested an extra £50,000 on the pitch this summer and the home dressing room has undergone a major facelift, giving it more of a professional feel.

Players have their own separate blue and white bay and the club have asked fans to send in inspiring quotes to adorn the wall in each of the 22 sections that will spur the Spitfires on to glory.