Brighton and Hove Albion FC has lined up Alfred McAlpine to build a £44m stadium at Falmer, East Sussex, after it was given planning permission by the city council.
Building understands that the scheme is unlikely to be called in by the secretary of state because the site has been earmarked for development in the past.

Brighton planners voted 11-1 at a meeting last week in favour of approving the detailed planning application.

The club is likely to use the same project team that built Huddersfield's stadium in West Yorkshire. Australian firm Sinclair Knight Merz was structural engineer then, and is likely to win the contract in Brighton.

A Brighton FC insider said Alfred McAlpine was expected to be awarded the contract because of chief executive Martin Perry's connection with the contractor. Perry was formerly McAlpine's special projects manager.

A Whitehall source said the vote of approval was convincing enough to give the stadium the go-ahead. A council spokesperson said the scheme's details were being sent to the government so a decision could be made over whether there should be a public inquiry.