OCTOBER will see work definitively start on York’s long-awaited Community Stadium, and councillors have "every confidence" matches will be played there in 2019.

Today York's city council, rugby and football clubs have revealed their latest update on the heavily delayed project – confirming a building company is almost signed up.

The £41 million project will start in October, and will take 16 months to complete. The two clubs will take up residence in 2019.

In March last year, the project's timetable put the start of building work in summer 2016 and completion in early 2018.

In December 2016 an updated timescale said building would start in May 2017, but by March that had been pushed back until autumn; and the facilities' completion delayed from late summer 2018 until late 2018 or early 2019.

Today bosses from both clubs have welcomed the news. York City’s chairman Jason McGill said it was exciting news for fans, and he thanked council staff for their “hard work and patience”.

Meanwhile, the Knights’ Jon Flatman said they would push to bring the 2021 Rugby League World Cup to the new ground.

Cllr Nigel Ayre, the executive councillor responsible for the stadium, said: “The community stadium project is about to take a major step forward with building work starting in just a few months.

“Since the last major update there have been several issues to contend with, not least a general election, worries about the impact of Brexit and a failed legal challenge.

“Despite this, we’ve continued to make steady progress and now we have a good idea of how long it will take to complete the build.

“The community stadium will benefit the whole of York with enhanced facilities, and we’ve been able to safeguard the future of Yearsley Pool too.”

York Press:

The complex also includes a swimming pool and gym; space for the NHS, York Against Cancer and a new library; five restaurants and three shops.

A 13 screen cinema - which prompted the legal challenge from Vue - will be run by Cineworld and will include the city's first IMAX screen.

However, it has also emerged that a potential stadium sponsor has pulled out, so the council needs to look for a new Stadium Rights Naming Sponsor once the building has started.

Today's timescale says financial and legal agreements will be finalised by August, and builders will start from October.

Construction will end sometime between December 2018 and March 2019, and “fit out” and the pitch growing time will mean the community and leisure facilities will open from March, and the stadium will open for the sports clubs from June.

GLL, the stadium operator, has had to retender for a building contractor after the previous firm ISG pulled out late last year citing the delays and cost pressures.

GLL is now close to appointing a new builder, and the retendering has seen the build cost brought down by £2.6 million to £41.6 million - but that saving is wiped out by a drop in the sum set to be made by selling some the land.

However, the city council's deputy chief executive Ian Floyd said builders had submitted details plans as part of their contracts, meaning the council could be confident the timescales would stick.

The project was “ready to go” in March last year, he said, but the twin delays of the legal challenge by Vue cinemas, and the loss of ISG, took matters out of their hands.

York Press:

From left - York City Knights RFLC owner Jon Flatman, Cllr Nigel Ayre, York City FC's Ian McAndrew, and Cllr David Carr.

Both sports clubs have enthusiastically welcomed the news, with York City’s Stadium Development Director Ian McAndrew saying fans will be delighted to see diggers finally appear on the Huntington site.

He also said the new facilities will increase the numbers at the gate, and should in term help boost the team up the leagues.

The Knights’ Jon Flatman said he has “100 per cent” reassurance his club will be able to play at Bootham Crescent until the new ground is ready.

However, Mr Flatman said he would not talk about the delays the project has already seen. A £41 million stadium is a “complex issue”, he said, but his club was fortunate to be part of it.