The Seagulls have a long way to fly before they reach the promised land of a new stadium.

Albion chief executive Martin Perry said: "In some respects gaining planning permission is just the beginning.

"There is an awful lot of work to do now."

Perry's job now is to turn the £50 million stadium dream into a reality. He added: "Planning permission was the first mountain and it proved harder than we thought.

"The second mountain is to put together a complete funding package and the small matter of building the thing.

"We already know where the money is going to come from but could not get it until we had planning consent."

The club plans to raise just over half the cost of the stadium through sponsorship, grants, sale of assets and investment.

They will put a large price tag on the name of the stadium following in the footsteps of many clubs including Arsenal, Bolton Wanderers and Leicester City.

Perry said he would be inviting private investment and there will also be a stakeholder scheme for fans.

The Seagulls plan to borrow just under £25 million as a mortgage which will be paid off by gate receipts at the rate of £1.9 million a year 20 per cent of the club's estimated annual turnover of £9.7 million.

Then they will have to finalise legal agreements with Brighton and Hove City Council and Brighton University over transfer of the land and tender the project out to building firms.

Stadium designs will be pored over to ensure they meet safety standards.

Perry said: "I can't see us moving on site and starting to dig the hole for at least 12 months."

The construction process is scheduled to take two years, with a target of opening at the beginning of the 2008-09 season.

Supporters will step off the train at Falmer station on to a concourse leading to the stunning new 22,374-seat arena designed by London architects KSS Design Group to complement the rolling landscape surrounding the site.

They will walk into an atrium to be confronted by banks of catering and merchandise kiosks, toilets, first aid and other services.

It is hoped they will be able to pay for their train, match ticket, half-time Bovril, programme and merchandise with one Seagulls swipe card.

The plans include a corporate hospitality suite designed to cater for 500 and three smaller areas for groups of 40.

There are 32 luxury boxes where corporate guests can dine, then step out to watch the match.

As well as state-of-the-art changing facilities, the stadium will accommodate the club offices, which are currently at Tower Point, North Road, a study support centre and a sports science and medical unit to be run by Brighton University.

Paths and subways will connect the ground to car parks in the University of Sussex and Falmer High School, which will provide 2,200 spaces.

There will be three park and ride sites but the plan is designed to attract as many supporters as possible by public transport.