Originally projected to cost £12 million, the club’s existing main stand is undergoing a partial demolition to make way for a new stand, which will see the stadium’s capacity increased to over 20,000.

In a statement on the club’s website, club owner and chair Ann Budge put the budget overruns down to the “size and complexity” of the project but added that she is confident of completion in time for the 2017-18 season.

Ms Budge said: “In terms of current progress, the first thing to say is that we remain on schedule, for our first league game next season to be played at Tynecastle, in front of the new stand, on 9th September.

“Those of you who have passed the stadium recently will have seen that the main steel structure is now complete, the pre-cast concrete floor units are nearing completion and the curtain walling is now well underway. Not so visible from outside the stadium, is the demolition work going on in the main stand. This is also well underway and is due for completion at the beginning of July.

“As I have said repeatedly, every day brings its own challenges on a project of this size and complexity and, not entirely unexpectedly, we have been faced with a number of changes that have resulted in some budget overruns. However, these are at a level that are manageable and capable of being met from Club funds; and most importantly, will not result in us failing to achieve our very tight timescales.

“In short, things continue to be managed very tightly and everything is still going to plan.”