Long-awaited new home for south coast football club proposed for area of outstanding natural beauty.
Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club has finally revealed its plans for its £44m home. The club has been without a permanent ground for more than four years.

The 22,000-seat stadium, submitted for planning proposal to the City of Brighton and Hove this month, is being planned for an area of outstanding natural beauty in Falmer, Sussex.

The scheme is to be built next to the universities of Brighton and Sussex and would incorporate a sports science and medicine faculty for the University of Brighton .

Project architect KSS Sport and Design said it expected the local authority to take up to six months to make a decision on the scheme.

KSS added that it was likely that the government would scrutinise the plans as well.

The practice, which worked with the club on its temporary ground in Withdean, stressed the green credentials of the new scheme.

Associate Adrian Holdstock said the project would have minimal impact on the landscape.

"We have tried to make it appear as if it's part of the rolling downs. It appears to flow out of and back into the landscape."

KSS has also had to minimise the effect of cars on the area. Holdstock said: "Brighton has a very stringent sustainable transport policy, and we have worked very hard on this."

Only 250 car parking spaces will be provided, as the club will be able to make use of the university car parks, which will be empty on Saturdays and in the evenings when games are held. A park-and-ride facility is also part of the scheme.

The stadium is to be built in four phases as funding becomes available. The first phase will cost £29m and consists of the pitch, the west stand and a temporary east stand, due to be completed in three years. A permanent east stand and a north and south stand will follow.

The project team includes structural engineer Sinclair Knight & Merz, QS Currie & Brown, landscape architect Hyland Edgar Driver, M&E engineer WSP and transport consultant Saville Bird and Axon. A contractor has yet to be chosen.