Stoke City will expand its first-team training facilities and renovate its current provision for its academy and women’s team in a major £12m project.

Work is expected to begin at Clayton Wood training ground in September after planning permission was granted by Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council.

The new building will increase the “scale and quality” of facilities available to players, the Championship club said.

The work is the biggest financial outlay on a single project since the building of the bet365 Stadium in 1997, a spokesperson said.

“The new state-of-the art building will create elite facilities for the men’s first team squad and will in turn lead to a renovated version of the existing pavilion being provided exclusively to the club’s category one academy and women’s team,” the club said.

It will take the total investment in the club’s training base since its acquisition above the £25m mark, they said.

“This development is massive for Stoke City, both in terms of scope and importance,” vice-chairman Richard Smith said.

“Once complete, it will elevate our first team facilities to among the best in the Championship and make them fit for Premier League football,” Mr Smith said.

“Also, no sooner has the new facility at Clayton Wood been opened, a refurbishment of the current building will begin, making it a suitably elite home for our ambitious women’s team and academy, meaning the benefit will be felt across our club.”

Work on the development will begin following the appointment of a building contractor and is set to be completed by 2025.

Mr Smith added: “Improvements such as the Ricardo’s sports bar refurbishment and LED floodlight installation – as well as the forthcoming fan zone, licensed standing and work that will facilitate home supporters being behind both goals and either side of the tunnel – are about enhancing the matchday supporter experience.

“This significant training ground investment is to support the on field ambitions that go hand-in-hand with that.”

The club finished 17th in the Championship at the end of the 2023-4 season.