A TRANSFORMATION of the Leppings Lane stand, where 96 Liverpool fans died, has been rubber stamped.

Extensive plans to revamp Hillsborough at a cost of £22m were approved by Sheffield city council.

That means, the former terrace, now called the West Stand, will finally be consigned to history.

The possible end of the Leppings Lane was revealed last August as part of blueprints to revitalise the stadium.

Now, planners have approved the project with initial construction work starting potentially as soon as this autumn.

The former Leppings Lane is earmarked as the first phase of the project to raise the capacity to 44,825.

And Sheffield Wednesday also revealed that the infamous tunnel, which led Liverpool fans to their death in 1989, will be replaced.

The stand is set for a major overhaul that will remove any lingering similarities that remain from the Leppings Lane terrace 21 years ago.

The turnstiles which Liverpool fans passed through on the fateful day on April 15 will be knocked down and rebuilt.

A large third-tier is to be added to the current two-tiers, with the pillars taken out, and a impressive-looking cantilever roof on top.

A 1,000 square metre learning zone, said by Sheffield Wednesday to be one of the best in Europe, will be located in the middle of the West Stand, behind the seats, with impressive views of the pitch.

Yesterday, families of those who died at Hillsborough welcomed the stadium overhaul being approved by the council.

But one mother said moves to consign the Leppings Lane to history should have been taken “a long time ago.”

Margaret Aspinall, chairwoman of the Hillsborough Family Support Group, who lost her son James, 18, in the tragedy, said: “Anything that improves safety in that ground and around the country is all for the good.

“We are in agreement with anything that makes security in stadiums better. This is important news for us to hear.”