The prospect of safe standing being introduced to English football has moved a step closer after the government body responsible for ground safety granted a request from the Football League to permit rail seating in 21 grounds that are not subject to all-seater requirements.

A letter sent by the Football League’s chief executive, Shaun Harvey, to clubs this week, which has been seen by the Guardian, revealed that the Sports Grounds Safety Authority has agreed “to establish a process” whereby rail seating such as the type used in Germany’s Bundesliga and at Celtic Park can be introduced.

“This is the first time the SGSA have signalled that rail seating could be licenced for use at English and Welsh football grounds,” Harvey wrote.

“In practice, I think it’s fairly unlikely that clubs will choose to take up this opportunity given they are already permitted to utilise traditional terracing and because of the significant cost of installing rail seating. Additionally, the government is not currently minded to allow these clubs to use rail seating at all (in either standing or seated mode) if they become subject to the all-seater policy at a future point. Although, it is closely monitoring the installation of 3,000 rail seats at Celtic Park.

“Nonetheless, the symbolic value of this decision should not be overlooked as I believe it demonstrates an encouraging direction of travel that will hopefully lead to further progress on our other aims in the period ahead. It is also recognition that the representations we are making about EFL clubs wanting to offer fans a modern and safe supporter experience in seats and on terraces is increasingly being heard and understood.”

He added: “Our objective remains to secure the opportunity for any of our clubs to have standing accommodation at their stadiums and we will continue to lobby on this basis.”

In 2014, a majority of Football League clubs voted in favour of four questions relating to safe standing, including encouraging the minister for sport to review all-seater stadium arrangements for Championship clubs and whether to lobby the SGSA to allow rail seating. Discussions were put on hold during the inquests into the Hillsborough disaster, but in November Premier League clubs debated the issue for the first time and agreed to conduct a fact-finding exercise with a view to its potential introduction.

The latest development was welcomed by the Football Supporters’ Federation, although Peter Daykin, the co-ordinator of the safe standing campaign, believes it has only opened the door to the possibility and plenty of work must still be done to achieve their goal. “This represents more progress in the campaign to reintroduce standing at top-flight football and as such is extremely welcome,” he said.

“Along with standing at Scottish Premier League matches through the Celtic rail seating trial, this is another thing supporters can do this year that we couldn’t last.

“However, it still means rail seating is only available to clubs in Leagues One and Two where standing is already allowed and while the SGSA describe it as “dual purpose”, at present they are not licensing it as seated accommodation. In practical terms this news won’t herald any meaningful change. It is highly unlikely clubs at this level will install new rail seating areas just for standing or upgrade existing safe terraces to a technology that is more expensive but offers no clear benefit.

“Overall we’re pleased the SGSA have opened the door for new, dual purpose technologies in this way and we look forward to the debate continuing now that English Premier League clubs have mandated the league to look into the issue of standing.

“We hope the outcome, after proper consultation, will be that they join their EFL colleagues in pushing the British government for a change in the law so clubs and supporters can begin to experience more choice in how we all watch football – whether that’s from seats, dual purpose technologies like rail seating or existing safe terraces.”

A number of hurdles remain before rail seating could be considered in the Premier League and Championship. Among them are the sensitivities around Hillsborough, with the Hillsborough Family Support Group remaining implacably opposed to any move that would allow standing in major English grounds, although the Liverpool supporters’ group Spirit of Shankly has launched a consultation on the matter and the Hillsborough Justice Campaign has also said it supports a full debate of the issues.