GILLINGHAM Football Club have claimed a victory off the field by being granted permission to build a fourth new stand at the Priestfield stadium.

Work on the new £1.5 million structure is expected to begin with the demolition of the existing terraces before the end of the season. The go-ahead was granted at a special council meeting.

Council officers had recommended the approval for the club to build a single tier stand in Priestfield Road. The new stand would provide 3,300 seats plus 32 wheelchair spaces.

The application was approved during a heated debate which focused on the concerns of residents in the adjoining Redfern Avenue.

The club received six letters from residents who feared the new development would result in a loss of sunlight, the height of the new stand which is higher than the Medway stand and the closure of the footpath which links Gordon Road and Redfern Avenue.

Residents were also worried about the levels of construction traffic which would pass through the residential area.