ALBION has unveiled its vision of a stadium for the community at Falmer.

The £30 million plans were revealed by the club during a packed public meeting at Hove Town Hall last night.

They include a 25,000-seat stadium, built in two phases, a multi-purpose sports hall and scientific development linked to the universities.

Under the slogan Falmer For All, Albion are stressing that the development will benefit the whole community, not just Seagulls supporters.

Today we report the Albion's plans in detail and how the club will pay for the ambitious scheme by creating a new stadium company.

A SPECTACULAR £30 million vision to make Brighton and Hove the sporting jewel of the South - that's how the Albion are describing their plans for a stadium for the community at Village Way North, Falmer.

Albion director Martin Perry said of the Falmer For All plans: "There is going to be no stadium like this on the South Coast. We are going to create a superb facility for the whole community."

The site, just south of the A27, is a ploughed field owned by Brighton and Hove Council, officially designated an area of outstanding natural beauty.

Phase 1 includes a main stand along one side of the pitch and initially terraces behind both goals, if licensing rules still allow supporters to stand up at matches.

If all goes according to Albion's plan, this makes an initial capacity of 13,000 in time for the start of the season in August 2002 - and the club expects to fill it.

Mr Perry said: "Brighton has a unique position. Its catchment area is huge. In the north, you could get to four or five clubs within an hour's drive, a number of them Premiership clubs."

The initial phase also features sports-related teaching space, a sports science and sports medicine unit, artificial pitches, and a multi-purpose sports hall for basketball, badminton and other sports, with 2,000 seats.

The sports hall could be a future home for the Worthing/Brighton Bears basketball team if they were to move from the Brighton Centre, and Albion have had preliminary talks with the Bears.

All this, plus changes to roads and Falmer station, is expected to cost £18 million, paid for through:

£4 million from the club, including at least £3 million expected from the Football Trust. More money was made available to the Trust in the recent Budget.

£5 million from other capital and grants, such as the Lottery and European Union money, thanks to the inclusion of the multi-purpose sports hall and the possible involvement of the universities.

£4 million from sponsors, including the company after which the stadium is named. Reebok paid £3 million to have Bolton's stadium named after them. Middlesborough and Huddersfield also secured seven-figure sums.

This £4 million also includes cash from companies who will pay for catering and brewing rights at the stadium.

£5 million from bank borrowing over a ten-year period, paid back as income from the new stadium starts flowing in.

Phase 2, costing another £12 million, will take the capacity up to an all-seater 25,000 and add hi-tech offices.

Most of the money for this will come from new income from prior office leasing and other stadium users as, unlike Albion's old Goldstone Ground, the stadium will be used seven days a week.

A separate, single-purpose stadium company would be set up to fund, build and operate the stadium with the club as a major shareholder.

Other shares may be held by Brighton and Hove Council, Sussex University and Brighton University, although they have yet to be formally invited by the club.

Under Treasury rules, the council's share would be a maximum of 19 per cent.

Mr Perry said the new facilities could be used by the universities, Falmer School, concerts, other major sporting events and Albion's Centre of Excellence for talented young players, among others.

He said: "The new manager (Mickey Adams) will strongly support the club's youth policy. We are providing access for young people to give them an opportunity."

Last November, the club submitted a detailed report to Brighton and Hove Council on five possible sites. Crucially, all of the others have major drawbacks.

WATERHALL is north of the A27 Brighton bypass, prompting fears that building there would open the way to further development on the Downs.

Chris Todd, of Brighton and Hove Friends of the Earth, said environmental damage and traffic at Waterhall would be worse than at Falmer.

Plans for SHOREHAM PORT might include a new road to the A27 and Hangleton link, costing millions to build and knocking down homes.

Shoreham Port Authority would sell or lease land to Albion, adding to the cost, and port boss Brian Tatterton said plans for the port could take up to 20 years.

Even if park-and-ride buses were encouraged, a stadium next to BRIGHTON STATION would increase traffic in the already congested town centre.

Council tax increases could be needed to pay for the land, which is owned by Railtrack, earmarked for other uses and only large enough for a small stadium.

The Government last year rejected a bid to build a new Sainsbury's there, citing traffic generation as one of the main reasons.

At least three factors make HOVE GREYHOUND STADIUM a non-runner - the land is unavailable to the club, is earmarked for other uses and is too small for a major development.

Acouncil report said: "If the club continue to work constructively with officers, prepare a sound report on the feasibility of the alternative sites, come up with an imaginative design, are creative about the transport issues in order to minimise car-borne spectators and ensure that employment proposals are an integral part of the scheme, then the choice of a site at Falmer may prove sufficiently robust to be tested through the planning process."

Mr Perry said: "The report quite clearly demonstrates that the other sites don't work. The council officers are a very professional team in Brighton and Hove and know what they're talking about."

He said a strong 'Yes, Yes' vote in the May 6 referendum was important for two reasons - to reinforce the council's belief that Falmer is the best potential site and to demonstrate local support before a public inquiry.

He said: "I'm expecting a vote in favour of Falmer. I would like to see more than 60 per cent."

The referendum will not be binding on the council and, whatever the result, any stadium scheme will still have to satisfy strict planning guidelines.

Allowing for further studies, a planning application, a public inquiry, grant applications and building time the club will need an extension to its temporary stay at Withdean Stadium, currently due to end in June 2001.

Mr Perry warned: "There is no alternative. The club can survive the three years at Withdean, but we would have a problem after that.

"You might find that Brighton loses the football club and that would be a disaster for the town. It's part of our social fabric."

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.