The Seagulls will leave a vastly improved Withdean stadium as a legacy to their temporary home.

Brighton and Hove Albion has spent £3 million improving facilities to bring the former municipal athletics ground up to Football League standards.

When they eventually move to a new home, the south stand bank of temporary seating will be dismantled along with the 2,000 new seats currently being installed.

But Albion will leave Withdean with a totally rebuilt north stand, new floodlighting and public address systems, a press box facility, CCTV, secure fencing, turnstile entry and additional parking spaces.

Removal of the temporary seating will leave 1,396 seats.

But temporary stands at the east and west ends could be put back in for major athletics events, taking the capacity up to 4,300.

The Seagulls will also leave brand new changing facilities.

The pitch has been sown with specialised winter sports turf, upgraded with new drainage runs and is rated as one of the best in the Championship.

Albion chief executive Martin Perry said: "It should be noted that originally we wanted to install the new seats at the west end in permanent construction but both the athletics clubs and local residents objected.

"We think a great opportunity to take the permanent capacity up to 2,200 has been missed.

"At any rate it will be like a second stadium for Brighton and Hove and is our gift to the city council and community."

Long-suffering Withdean residents will breathe a huge sigh of relief after the last game at the ground.

The Albion have done their utmost to minimise the impact of football matches on the neighbouring area by asking fans to respect a no-parking zone, conducting litter patrols, setting up a liaison panel with residents and laying on park-and-ride buses.

The most vocal campaigner against the Albion's use of Withdean has been John Catt, 80, whose home overlooks the stadium. He said: "All of the people round here wish the club well but will be very glad to see them go."

Earlier this year Mr Catt won a High Court battle against Brighton and Hove City Council, which was forced to admit it had unlawfully granted the club planning permission to continue playing at Withdean and add 2,000 new seats.

The club resubmitted the application and it was granted.

Mr Catt said: "These new seats come right up to my garden. It feels like my living room is being invaded and I've had lots of rather nasty rows with the club about it."

Mr Catt's preferred site for a new stadium was Sheepcote Valley.

He said: "The farther it goes outside Brighton the better."

Withdean councillor Ken Norman, an Albion season ticket holder, said: "In my view the impact has not been as bad as many people feared and the club has done everything it can to make sure local residents have been treated with respect and consideration, though not all of them will agree with that. The main problem is match day parking and that was inevitable."

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council said: "The club has made many improvements to Withdean, particularly the pitch, drainage and floodlights and as landlord we will inherit them. Withdean will revert back to its former use as one of the best athletics facilities in Sussex and an amateur football pitch."