Property owners could be forced to sell up to secure the land needed to build Brentford FC's new stadium.

Councillors voted at last night's borough council meeting to use compulsory purchase orders (CPO) if necessary to ensure the 20,000 seater stadium in Lionel Road South can be built.

Work on the stadium, to be accompanied by a hotel and 910 flats, is expected to begin early next year after the club signed a section 106 planning agreement with Hounslow Council last month.

Deputy council leader Amrit Mann last night said Brentford FC already owned two thirds of the 4.7 hectare site but negotiations with some owners of the remaining land had so far proved 'unsuccessful'.

"While the negotiations are still ongoing, (agreeing in principle to use) the CPO reinforces the council's commitment to support the new stadium," he said.

Mr Mann added that the new stadium would enable Brentford FC to continue its community work in the borough and boost the local economy by providing new jobs and homes.

CPOs can be used by councils and other public bodies to force landowners to sell at the market rate if their property is obstructing a regeneration scheme.

Samantha Davies, Conservative councillor for Turnham Green, claimed the CPO breached EU law as it constituted 'state aid' to a commercial interest, for which she said dispensation was needed from the European Commission.

"This council has fallen over backwards to support this new stadium, breaching its own rules on density and affordable housing, and now it's seeking to grant the club a much coveted CPO," she added.

Mr Mann responded that the council had received expert legal advice on the matter and had not taken the decision lightly.

"We've seen the Conservative group have objected to this all the way along and I think this is just another objection and we should knock it on the head," he added.

The decision to approve a draft CPO for the land in question was overwhelmingly approved at last night's meeting, despite the objection of 10 Conservative councillors.

Local government secretary Eric Pickles had given the stadium his approval in March this year.