It is the final sign off for the multi-million pound purchase of a Hampshire sports venue – at taxpayers’ expense.

And as Eastleigh Borough Council prepares to give the ultimate nod to a huge investment at The Ageas Bowl, the Daily Echo can reveal that costs have almost tripled to £3m, meaning a total of nearly £40m will be spent on the project from the public purse.

Councillors agreed to buy a 999-year lease for the ground’s land and buildings at a price of £6.5m last year, on top of a £30m investment in a luxury Hilton hotel development at the home of Hampshire Cricket in West End .

Reports from the District Auditor, who examines council finances, later revealed that £1.2m had already been spent on consultants, lawyers and accountants in connection with the scheme.

But a new report going to a meeting on Thursday reveals that the amount spent has now gone up to £3m, which opposition councillors have branded “outrageous”.

In this report, council officers have admitted that costs have “greatly exceeded” what was expected when the project was first suggested in 2009.

But the council says that the money will be recouped through rent and other income from the hotel and sports ground.

Council leader Keith House said the spiralling fees were partly down to a judicial review in 2010, where rival hoteliers launched a legal challenge against the proposals at The Ageas Bowl, known at the time as The Rose Bowl .

He added: “This meeting is the final bit of detail to be put in place to let this tremendously exciting project go ahead with big opportunities for better leisure facilities and a substantial number of jobs, just when we most need it.

“The costs have gone up partly because of the judicial review. That took a lot of defending and threw up a number of issues.

“The point made in the report, which gives the figure some balance, is that for the size of the project, the total amount of legal and professional fees is not unusual.”

Those against the council’s investment in The Ageas Bowl have also slammed the decision to keep much of the information involved under wraps.

Many of the points set to be discussed have been put into a secret section of the report and the public and press will be told to leave when they come up for debate.

The council says it is because the matters are “commercially sensitive” but leader of the opposition Conservatives , Councillor Godfrey Olson, said he believes taxpayers have a right to know what is going on.

He said: “I’m very unhappy at the way it’s being handled.

“We’re talking about taxpayers’ money and they ought to be aware of what’s going on. It’s making a mockery of democracy.

“The costs are also outrageous – so much trouble has gone into trying to clear all these issues and I don’t think the council should be undertaking this project at all.”

If councillors agree a final sign-off for The Ageas Bowl scheme, then building work could begin in weeks.