A HUGE £30million Government loan will kickstart plans to build a new Southend United stadium and training ground, alongside hundreds of homes, it has been revealed.

The Fossetts Farm plan, which will feature a state-of-the-art stadium, a 107-bedroom hotel, and more than a thousand homes, could finally get off the ground, thanks to the “crucial” funding boost.

Homes England will loan Roots Hall Limited, the firm behind the development, alongside Thames Plaza, the £30million sum by November 30.

Both firms name Blues Chairman Ron Martin and his son Jack, as directors.

Roots Hall Limited will then lease the new stadium and training ground to the football club itself.

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Ian Gilbert, leader of Southend Council, said: “This funding is vital, and a much needed boost. It’s absolutely crucial to it going ahead.

“With Covid and the clubs fortunes, there was always a risk [about the project], but this loan negates that risk.

“It’s taken huge amount of work, and a lot of negotiations, to get to this point, but I’m really proud of the council and our officers have done a hell of a lot of due diligence.

“We’ve had to make sure it’s all financially viable, and a big part of that was the council taking on the management of the homes.

“We will also have a significant say in how it’s built, and that it’s all up to standard.”

Southend Council helped faciliate the deal between Homes England and Roots Hall Limited, but the final negotiations were concluded by RHL itself.

The plans will see a club shop, a restaurant and conference space all included.

Two corners of the stadium will accommodate 182 apartments. In addition, a range of other blocks up to nine storeys high will provide a total of 1,114 homes Southend Council will also be involved in providing homes on the site for affordable rent.

Council documents read: “A temporary planning application will be submitted on land to the north of the stadium for a temporary training facility to ensure there is no net loss of training facilities.

“Thames Plaza will sell Fossetts phase one to an institutional investor, most likely a pension fund or insurance company.”

The hybrid application for the phased development and relocation of the club, which is currently housed at roots hall, includes demolishing the old club and replacing it with nine blocks from two to eight storeys high to provide 502 homes.

Plans, which were submitted to the council four years ago, are set to be approved at a meeting tonight.