Ebbsfleet United could be moving to a new stadium after planning permission was granted for the new Northfleet Harbourside development.

The club announced on Tuedsay evening that Gravesham Borough Council has resolved to grant Planning Permission for Northfleet Harbourside.

Ebbsfleet United FC are shareholders in the project which is set to transform and regenerate the immediate area surrounding the football club.

Within the 50-acre mixed-use development, Ebbsfleet United FC will retain freehold and management control of the new-build £40m 8,000-seat multi-use community stadium and event facilities. This will secure the club’s future for generations to come and provide stable, self-generating income and revenue towards our ultimate goal of sustainable high-performance.

Damian Irvine, Chief Executive Officer at Ebbsfleet United FC, commented: “Today is a truly significant day in our club’s great history and for the people and communities of Northfleet and Gravesend. The outcome has been the result of many months of hard work and collaboration with Gravesham Borough Council, our development partners and team, and the project’s investors.

“We set about conceiving a plan and solution that would see our football ground developed to a leading standard that was feasible financially within a wider development, and which also provided regeneration of services and contributed to an overall significant uplift to our local community and Borough, reflecting the council’s own regeneration strategy and legacy plan for future generations. It’s a proud and exciting day to receive planning approval from GBC that will be the catalyst for such substantial investment into Gravesham Borough and its communities.”

The granting of outline planning consent will now see each phase of the project proceed to detailed planning stage – and the club will update supporters on the timeline and phasing of the project in due course.