Brentford hope to start work on building their new stadium on Lionel Road before the end of March.

The Bees were awarded planning permission in December 2013 but a series of setbacks, including a compulsory purchase order process, has delayed progress on the new ground.

Hounslow Council enacted the compulsory purchase order by executing a general vesting declaration (GVD) in August and Brentford are in the final stages of getting the groundwork in place to start building.

“I can't give an exact date but I hope it's within the first quarter of this year. Hopefully before we get to the end of March, we'll have started on site,” chief executive Mark Devlin said. “We're still hopeful of making the 2019/20 season.”

Brentford have applied for dispensation to keep the terracing at Griffin Park and expect to know whether this has been approved before the end of the season.

Mark Devlin

Devlin explained: “We've been asked questions about our facilities here and how things are progressing at the new stadium.

“We've given our response there so we're hoping to receive dispensation and that's been our application.

“I think the fans like the terracing. If we have to move to seating there's a cost involved to the club but then a reduced capacity and that has a knock on effect.

“We're very hopeful of common sense prevailing and, with a new stadium in the offing, we can be given dispensation.

“If we have the capacity further reduced, it'd not be very helpful at all. I'm hoping we can show the stadium is a real life project and, on that basis, we'd request dispensation.”