Manchester United confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that approval has been given by Trafford Council for a barrier seating trial to take place at Old Trafford.
The proposal was submitted by United earlier in the year to the local authority, and at last week's fans' forum it was confirmed to supporters' representatives that the scheme had been given the green light.
United have an agreement in principle to install around 1,500 barrier seats in the J Stand section, located in the lower North-East Quadrant - in time for the 2020/21 season.
The club are now set to discuss different options for the work with potential suppliers, though any work that does take place will need to adhere to UK government recommendations regarding social distancing.
Fans welcomed the news, with some hopeful that it will both help to improve the atmosphere at Old Trafford, and also potentially allow a reduction in ticket prices.
The club's managing director Richard Arnold said on the decision: "It should be stated, up front, that our overwhelming priority is to keep people safe from the COVID-19 pandemic.
"It may seem strange to talk about stadium plans at this time, but football and our fans will return when it is safe, and our preparations for that must continue in the background.
"This announcement is the latest step in what has been a long journey with our fans. We have listened to their feedback, in particular, the representations made by MUST, and worked with Trafford Council to develop and approve this proposal.
"Our belief is that the introduction of barrier seats will enhance spectator safety in ares of the stadium where - as with other clubs - we have seen examples of persistent standing.
"It allows us to future-proof the stadium in the event of any changes to the current all-seater stadium policy. If the trial is successful, we may consider further implementation of barrier seating in other parts of the stadium.
"We will now move on to develop the installation, compliance and licensing plan for the trial, with a view to having the new seats installed for when we can welcome our supporters back to Old Trafford."
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