Brighton and Hove Albion have won their battle for more seats and to keep playing at Withdean stadium.

It means the Seagulls can stay at their temporary home in Brighton for another three years and increase its capacity.

Yesterday's decision by Brighton and Hove City Council's planning committee ended a period of deep uncertainty which had left a question mark about the future of the club.

Planning permission was also granted to build new stands and extend existing ones to create an extra 1,966 seats.

Martin Perry, Albion's chief executive, told councillors: "This application is about our survival. We have nowhere else to play and it allows us to increase our income while we sort out Falmer."

Mr Perry said the club considered its stay in Withdean stadium was a temporary one. He said: "We don't want to be there any longer that we have to be.

"Our investment of £3 million just to get planning permission for Falmer is a significant demonstration of our determination to solve this problem.

"We don't want to cause any more disruption or difficulty than is absolutely necessary and we want a decision on Falmer as fast as we can get it."

Planning permission for the Withdean scheme, which also includes a new athletics clubhouse and changing rooms, was originally granted in 2003, along with the right to play some matches on Sundays.

But the Seagulls lost their legal right to play at the ground when a High Court judge overturned the decision following a procedural mistake by the city council.

A second application was due to be considered last month but councillors insisted on a further delay to give them time to visit the site prompting strong criticism from the club.

Mr Perry was clearly relieved to hear Albion would be allowed to stay put for three more seasons.

He said: "I'm very pleased and grateful to councillors for their support. If they had said no, we would have nowhere to play and it would have signalled the end of the club."

As part of yesterday's deal the club must provide an additional 200 parking spaces in a new park-and-ride scheme.

Construction of the new stand will begin once the scheme has been approved by the council's environment committee.

Mr Perry said he would have liked to have completed the new stand by the start of next season but this would no longer be possible.

The chief executive thanked The Argus for backing the club's bid for Falmer but warned that Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott would not be able to make a decision on the stadium until he had received the inspector's report in July.

He said fans should not be surprised if there was no decision on Falmer until September.