Portsmouth have finalised the contracts for a £26million redevelopment of Fratton Park.

The south coast club, promoted to the Barclaycard Premiership after securing the 2002-03 Division One championship, have confirmed details of the project with construction firm Barr.

The club envisage the redevelopment being carried out in two stages, the first increasing capacity by nearly 10,000 to 28,000 and the second raising capacity to 36,000.

Chairman Milan Mandaric said: "There is still one hitch to be resolved with a small piece of land required, but if we can acquire the same good will from this party as we have had from every other who has been working with us, there will be no obstacles and thousands of people will benefit as will the local economy.

"We will now enter an intensive period of liaising with the various groups who will turn words into bricks and mortar," he told the club's official website.

A planning application is expected to be submitted during the summer with Government guidelines meaning the local authority must make a ruling within an eight-week period.