West Ham, the English soccer club, has bought a 29-acre site and will build a new training ground once planning permission is secured from Havering Council.

Work on the new complex, two miles from West Ham's current training ground at Chadwell Heath, would begin early in the New Year. The club is one of a number of Premier League sides keen to upgrade its facilities - both Tottenham Hotspur and Hull City have announced multi-million dollar plans.

"This is a major step forward for the club as a new training ground with world-class facilities is fundamental to our vision for the next few years," said West Ham United chief executive Scott Duxbury. "Such a development can only aid Gianfranco, his staff and players in their bid to help the club achieve success.

"Chadwell Heath has been a fantastic home for many generations but I have been aware in recent years that it is no longer fit for our first-team aspirations. We have worked very hard to put this planning proposal together and I would like to add my thanks to Havering Council for their cooperation to date and in the future."

• West Ham to be hit with another big legal bill
• Another takeover bid for West Ham United emerges

The club website noted: 'Development of the Rush Green site would be carried out in two phases. The first phase would be to renovate the existing Sports Club, construct new groundsman's buildings and install three full-size training pitches. When complete this would allow the first-team squad and staff to move straight in and begin work.

'The second phase would be to construct a purpose built state of the art training, rehabilitation and media centre on the site that would ultimately replace the temporary refurbished existing Sports Club building, together with a further four training pitches and the renovation of the existing stand and terracing around one of the pitches.'