The Football Association (FA) has given its final approval for the National Football Centre (NFC) to be based in Burton-on-Trent.

The Staffordshire town has been mooted as the location for the NFC since February 2001, with a view to open it in 2005.

Financial problems, largely related to the Wembley Stadium fiasco, meant that construction on the site was stopped in 2004 with only the pitches and basic infrastructure in place.

The project has been on hiatus since then, but it is now estimated that the centre – estimated in 2003 to cost £50m – will be completed in 2010.

FA chief executive Brian Barwick said: “I'm delighted that we have reached this point, the NFC is an extremely important part of our future and we can now press ahead with making it a reality.

“It is great news that progress is being made, and now we must look to the finer detail and achieve a world-class facility to help our cause.”

Sir Trevor Brooking, the FA’s director of football development, added: “It is essential to the long-term development of coaching and young players that we have a hub for all our activity, and the NFC will provide that.”

The NFC will house the FA’s medical and exercise science, coaching, video analysis and education departments, as well as be used as a training and preparation base for England teams.

The project remains subject to planning permission and funding, with further details to be announced in due course.

Photograph: FA chief executive Brian Barwick