Townsville City Council has announced approval for the $250 million North Queensland Stadium, allowing work to ramp up.

The development approval includes a 25,000-seat stadium and entertainment facility – including 22,000 general admission seats and 3000 corporate seats – and commercial spaces for a bar, food outlets and offices.

It also includes upgrades to public spaces such as parks and sport and recreation areas.

“This is a key milestone for the project and it means major construction can start once early works are complete,” Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said.

“The stadium will revitalise the CBD and has already helped to attract the city’s first high-end hotel in decades, which will be built next door.

“Townsville is already seeing the economic benefits from the stadium and they will only increase as more jobs come online as construction ramps up.”

Early works on the stadium were carried out with an exemption under the Priority Development Area.

State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Minister Cameron Dick said the project so far had invested an estimated $27.9 million in local industry and engaged more than 238 companies in the extended supply chain.

“We have had 318 people inducted to site, 99 per cent living within North Queensland, and more local people are working on this iconic regional project as each new trade comes on,” he said.

Construction of the stadium is expected to employ more than 2000 people.