Sussex's ambitious plans for the redevelopment of the County Ground have cleared another significant hurdle.

Brighton & Hove city planners yesterday approved the second phase of their £8m scheme when they granted permission for a new two-storey 2,500-seat stand in the south-west corner which will also house new offices, club shop and museum.

The club’s plans to extend the Indoor School and build more changing rooms have also been given the green light together with new hospitality facilities in the south-east corner.

This work will start at the end of next summer and should be completed by the beginning of the 2011 season. The pavilion is also being completely refurbished.

It means Sussex can go ahead with the planned demolition of the Gilligan Stand next month. New hospitality facilities will be built in time for the start of next season which could house up to 700 corporate guests.

Chief executive Dave Brooks said: “It’s another exciting day for us in terms of the development.

“We start the demolition process at the southern end on January 4. The Gilligan going will be good news for the majority of people but a minority will miss it because they like watching from on top of it and it’s been part of the ground for a long time.”

Work on improving the floodlights, including the erection of two new pylons, and building a new groundsman’s facility, bars and toilets at the Cromwell Road end is already underway.