Leicester Lions have been given the green light to roar back into action next year.

Months of legal negotiations concerning the lease came to an end yesterday when the Beaumont Sports Complex Ltd, part of which is Leicester Speedway Ltd, and Leicester City Council finally signed on the dotted line.

It means the Lions can go ahead with the construction of their £1.2 million stadium as part of the £4.5 million sports complex, which will also cater for cycling and football.

Promoter David Hemsley was "delighted" that speedway will return to Leicester after a 28-year absence while supporters' club chairman Ken Naylor said: "It is excellent news."

Lions were granted permission to develop the site in Beaumont Leys in August. They also entered the British Speedway Premier League with the intention of racing this season.

That was put on hold because complexities concerning the lease prevented work beginning on the stadium. Now, it is all systems go for the Lions and they are already preparing for competitive action next March.

"I'm delighted that it is now finalised and we're very excited about it all," said Hemsley.

"The issues of the lease took longer than we had hoped. I think we perhaps under-estimated what was involved. This sports village is new and unique, we were treading on virgin territory in many ways.

"It was very challenging for all of us, getting all the parties involved in the sports complex together and then finally completing the agreement.

"It was something we all wanted to happen and that never changed."

Lions are wasting no time getting to work on the stadium.

Hemsley said: "We already have a mobilisation phase in hand with the contractor getting all the required bits and pieces, such as health and safety, in place.

"Vehicles will then move on to the site and building work will start straight after that. We are aiming to get the stadium finished by the end of February, beginning of March.

"Very soon we will be looking at our plans to race next season in terms of riders. We are going to try to get in as early as we can to put together a good side to represent Leicester."

After 28 years without speedway, the fans are counting down the days.

Naylor has supported the Lions since 1957, when he was only nine.

"The present campaign to get speedway back has been going only a short time," he said. "But my campaign has been going for more than 20 years and I'm very pleased. I'm so much looking forward to seeing them race again."

Steve Chilton, supporters' club secretary, said: "We are excited that the prospect of speedway racing returning to Leicester is no longer a dream, but a fast-approaching reality.

"The 2011 season cannot come soon enough, and, after 28 long years, we will finally see the return of the Leicester Lions.

"This is also a wonderful opportunity for a new generation of local people to come along and witness this exciting team sport for the first time.

"New promoter David Hemsley's tireless and dedicated work to realising this dream has been nothing short of astonishing.

"Our club's aim now is to support the new promotion in every way possible, and play our part in helping get Leicester back on the speedway map."