Fulham's new £80m stand will increase Craven Cottage capacity to 29,600

Fulham have been handed a major boost after being granted permission to redevelop the Riverside Stand at Craven Cottage and increase capacity to 29,600.

Hammersmith and Fulham council gave the project the go-ahead on Tuesday and work is expected to begin in the summer of 2019.

The plans will see the existing stand demolished and replaced by a new two-tier structure (left).

A riverside walkway will also be created along the Thames from Putney to Hammersmith.

It is understood that the scheme will cost the club in the region of £80million and it is hoped to be finished by 2021.

The club were first granted planning permission for a new Riverside Stand back in 2013 but owner Shahid Khan wanted to include his own input into the enterprise after he bought the club in July that year.

Khan said: “Our goal for a brighter future for Fulham Football Club, the neighbourhood, our borough and all of London is now at our doorstep.

“This news wouldn’t be possible if not for supporters and local residents who believed in our vision, so I hope they will join us in celebrating what will be a new and important chapter in the history of Fulham and Craven Cottage. While there are too many people to thank, no one who helped to play a role in this process to date will ever be forgotten.”

The development will add nearly 4,000 seats to Craven Cottage and Fulham chief executive Alistair Mackintosh said: “We are all delighted with the outcome.

“Craven Cottage has been the home of Fulham Football Club since 1896 and it’s fantastic news for our supporters, our local community and everyone associated with the club.

“We are excited that plans to redevelop the Riverside Stand may proceed and improve facilities available throughout the year, helping to deliver our chairman’s vision of providing a world-class venue while safeguarding the club’s future at Craven Cottage.”

Fulham are fighting for promotion to the Premier League, although their chances of going up automatically were dealt a blow when they drew 2-2 with QPR on Saturday.

Slavisa Jokanovic’s side are seven points behind second-placed Cardiff with six games left and captain Tom Cairney said: “It is going to be tough.

“But this League is crazy and Cardiff still have to play a lot of teams in and around them so it is going to hard for them as well.”