Development of the new £65m stadium for Brighton & Hove Albion Football Club (BHAFC) has moved one step closer with the appointment of Buckingham Group Construction.

The 22,500-seat stadium, which has been in planning for nearly a decade, will be built to the east of the city in Falmer and adjacent to the University of Brighton. Designed by London-based KSS architects on behalf of developers The Community Stadium, the scheme will incorporate the BHAFC offices, a club shop, hospitality and conference facilities as well as education space for the local college.

BHAFC chair, Dick Knight, said: “The Club found itself homeless in 1997 after the previous owner sold the Goldstone Ground for retail development. It’s been a long haul but we are truly delighted that the dream of building the Community Stadium is at last going to become a reality." Planning consent for the stadium was granted by Brighton & Hove City Council in July 2007, after two public planning inquiries. The new stadium should open in time for the 2011 season, and construction is expected to begin in April 2009.

Buckingham Group are currently also working on stadium development tenders for Bristol Rovers FC and the 2012 Olympic Handball Arena.