National League Fleet - who survived on a thrilling final day of the season - are preparing for the future and that includes saying goodbye to their aging Stonebridge Road home.
Tuesday night’s decision means their plans to build a new 8,000-seater stadium at the heart of a new waterfront neighbourhood have been given the green light, two years after they were submitted.
Those behind the scheme - which is expected to cost £40 million - will create thousands of jobs and will provide a huge boost to the local economy.
Damian Irvine, the club’s Chief Executive Officer, says the go ahead for 50-acre mixed-use development is not just incredible news for the club but for the whole area.
He told the Fleet’s website: “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.
“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.”