As hopes build for England glory at the Rugby World Cup, celebrations here have started early after Dartford Valley RFC announced they are in line to receive £1 million towards a new ground and clubhouse.

The club are hoping for a good season on and off the pitch, with the first team preparing for the Kent League 2 championship and the second XI winning promotion to the Bishop’s Finger League.

But perhaps even more significantly, talks are going on between the club and the council to move to a new ground in the borough.

The relocation was listed as a Conservative pledge before the borough elections in May.

In a letter to vice-presidents, friends and supporters, club president John Davis-Ashdown revealed the project was under way.

He wrote: "Dartford Borough Council has shown great faith in what DVRFC offer to our community, with generous grants and support.

"And then there is the BIG, BIG news:

"Dartford Borough Council is giving us more than £1 million to build our very own clubhouse and the space for two full-size pitches – how wonderful is that!

"The project has just begun, so there are very exciting times ahead for DVRFC and the community that we serve.”

At the moment, the club is based at the Leigh Academy in Green Street Green Road and is the only one based in Dartford with nearby Dartfordians Rugby Club playing in Bexley.

It was formed in 2009, following the closure of the former Darenth Valley Rugby Club.

There are two senior teams, a ladies XI and plans are in place to add a wheelchair team by the end of the year.

Mr Davis-Ashdown added: "We are the only club in Dartford, which is odd for a town this size.

"We are expanding at a tremendous rate, and that is without our own clubhouse and facilities, so the potential we have here is enormous.

"As a club we pride ourselves on respect and discipline and we are trying to give that back to the community by teaching people social skills and how to interact.

"We want to cater for every section in society."

Dartford council leader Jeremy Kite confirmed the authority was working alongside the club.

He said: "We have a track record in producing sporting facilities but rugby was the one major sport that has been left out.

"Dartford Valley is a great club and we have made a commitment to them to provide them with a clubhouse and a ground.

"We do have a site in mind and it is in the borough but we have given the club a clear warning regarding the timescale. It will get done but it is a while off yet."

When built, the ground would follow other sporting investments such as Princes Park football stadium in Princes Road, which opened in November 2006 at a reported cost of £6.5 million and a £1 million pavilion at Dartford Cricket Club, which opened in March.