Brighton and Hove Albion's plans for a stadium at Falmer have been given a boost by the Countryside Agency.

The body agreed a boundary for the new South Downs National Park which means the stadium site will no longer be considered an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Martin Perry, the football club's chief executive, said today: "It will be de-designated.

"When our opponents say this site is an area of outstanding natural beauty, yes, it is at the moment but the Countryside Agency has recognised there isn't really anything very beautiful about it.

"It means it will become an ordinary development site, which definitely helps our argument."

The Albion faces a hat-trick of inquiries into the stadium scheme, to run concurrently from February 18 next year.

The main inquiry will be heard at the same time as the local plan inquiry and an inquiry into the switching of the transport interchange from Village Way South to Village Way North, sparked by Lewes planners.

The club is spending £600,000 on its case and more than 20 witnesses will give evidence on its behalf, including FA acting chief executive David Davies.

The 22,000-seater stadium is now proposed to be built in one go, instead of in stages, to cut costs and time. Mr Perry said: "We are planning a new campaign early in the New Year.

"The battle for Falmer is not over. We have the biggest battle on our hands starting on the 18th of February."

More than 60 changes have been made to the boundary of the park which will cover large parts of Sussex and Hampshire.

The most significant in Sussex are the inclusion of Ditchling and Coney Hill at Westdene.

The map of the final boundary will form part of the designation order which will create the new national park.

John Carden, of the South Downs Campaign, said: "The majority of people wanted a national park and this is what the agency has agreed."

Brighton and Hove City Council leader Ken Bodfish said: "We are the only council to have supported steadfastly the principle of a national park.

"We are a stage closer now and this is really good news for our city."

Open spaces councillor Heather James said: "This is a day which we have all been waiting for."

The agency says designation as a national park is the best way to protect the Downs, provide proper management and create opportunities for people to enjoy the countryside.

The South Downs National Park Designation Order will be published in January for one month to allow representations or objections to Secretary of State Margaret Beckett.

Revocation orders will be made for the East Hampshire and Sussex Downs Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, which lie largely within the national park boundary.

Agency chairman Ewen Cameron said: "This is an important decision for the South Downs, for those who live and work there, and for everybody who cares about this special part of the country."

He added: "We are aware, however, that a number of local authorities have already indicated that they will oppose the designation. If this is the case, there will be a public inquiry.

"We are confident the decisions we have made today are right and we will defend them if necessary."

The Sussex Downs Conservation Board, which runs the Downs now, said the continuing debate could result in a period of inertia.

Albion have scrapped their original plan to build the proposed stadium in four linked stages and instead hope to construct it in one go.

Chief executive Martin Perry said: "We intend to build our community stadium in one hit and as fast as we can. This will prove cheaper and quicker."

Providing Albion get the go-ahead after the public inquiry, they hope to start work in summer 2004 and move into their new home by the start of the 2005-6 season.