Hearts: Tynecastle Stadium works proposed for November

There are plans for the main stand (centre) at Tynecastle to be redeveloped

Hearts owner Ann Budge has told BBC Scotland work should commence on the redevelopment of the main stand at Tynecastle in November.

And Budge hopes the newly renovated ground with more than 20,000 seats will be fully operational 12 months later.

Edinburgh City Council will visit Tynecastle on Thursday with the final decision made by the planning department in October.

"We really are almost there," Budge explained.

"The planning committee will meet in October. They will be coming to look at what we want to do and why. I genuinely think we have answered all the questions and addressed all the problems.

"Assuming it all goes through in October then I would like to think we would be knocking down some of the old buildings in November.

Budge (left) hopes the stadium will be ready next autumn

"I would like to think that we will have the new stand fully operational, and by that I mean have all the seats in place, the toilets working, escalators or whatever else we will be putting in to run a match in place before the end of September next year."

Scottish Premiership Hearts have been playing in front of near-17,400 capacity crowds at Tynecastle for the past year and Budge sees no reason why that will not continue during the building process.

"We will have to get a health and safety certificate for every game that we play," she added.

"But we know what we have to do. Supporters will be channelled in through fencing into the old stand and use the turnstiles, much as they do at the minute.

"I'm expecting [the capacity] to remain the same.

"Inevitably there will be a bit of disruption because it is a big building programme but we absolutely keep that to a minimum and the supporters who still want to come and sit in the old stand will do so."