FULHAM Football Club will redevelop its Motspur Park training ground, despite residents submitting three petitions to the council in protest at the plans.

A planning application submitted by the Championship club to replace its indoor training facility and build a 500-capacity spectator area plus a 103 space car park was approved by Kingston Council at a development control committee meeting on Wednesday night.

The plans were approved by 10 votes to two.

New Malden councillor Ken Smith said: “Since Fulham Football Club have been in Motspur Park they have sold players for tens of millions of pounds.

“This is a factory and should be treated as such.

“This is a building that will bring local residents nothing. It covers too much.”

Objectors claimed the council had failed to inform them of the plans or take into account the increased traffic the expansion would bring.

Irene Wood, of Chillmark Gardens, said: “My home is 200m from the ground and unfortunately I only heard about this two weeks ago.

“It’s a waste of time, this is what we pay our councillors for?

“It’s a disgrace.”

Officials from Fulham FC argued the proposals were “essential” to maintaining the club’s category one training status.

Documents submitted to the council said refusal would have had “catastrophic implications for the club” and would have put its future at Motspur Park in doubt.