The £50million vision for a Hampshire airfield is now a step closer after a £500k investment was given the go-ahead by council executives. 

The plans will see will see extensive refurbishment of the control tower at the Solent Airport complex of HMS Daedalus Airfield, near Lee-on-the-Solent, and a boost in fuelling facilities which is estimated to be worth over £580,000. 

With only one objection made against the Hampshire airfield development, the plans were overwhelmingly approved. 

The plans are part of the airfield's multi-million-pound masterplan after it was taken over by Fareham Borough Council in 2015. 

The plans will be split into two phases: phase one will see a new seating area and will see the control tower turn into a viewing platform for aviation enthusiasts to watch the planes in action along.

Meanwhile, phase two will see the opening of a café, new toilets and an extension to the car park. 

The investment will be a further step to creating over "3,500 jobs and over 20,000 aircraft movements a year", council bosses claim, along with plans to "extend the runway by 100m and a new £6 million innovation centre’’.

Councillor Sean Woodward, leader of Fareham Borough Council who backed the plans, said the plans were just part of the wider vision for Daedalus to make it a successful place for ‘’aviation, aerospace and advanced marine technology’’ and ‘’make it an airport that everyone can enjoy’’.

He said: "We are absolutely committed to aviation investment and we would like to see aviation develop further.

‘’We want to make it a place and we want to make it enjoyable for them from crew, passengers and members of the public. 

‘’We are doing this for Fareham borough residents and is one of our biggest council projects’’.

However, Councillor Sean Cunningham, part of Fareham Borough Council's Liberal Democrat alliance, questioned the suitability of the project during the meeting saying it will see not benefit at all.

He said: “It seems we are spending a high level of funds at the airport when only a few of the borough’s residents will be using them.

“If we can afford to spend this sum of money on this project then we should be doing the same for the redevelopments of the town centres in Fareham and Portchester.”

Construction is expected to commence in late autumn of this year with work expected to be complete by Autumn 2019.