Opponents of the Albion's proposed new stadium at Falmer are confident of defeating both planning applications submitted by the club.

After three years of disputes, discussions and deliberations, the Albion have finally handed in plans for a new stadium at Falmer.

The club are desperate to move from their present home at Withdean and have handed in two separate applications, totalling 130,000 pages, to Brighton and Hove City Council.

The club's preferred option is at Village Way North which is nearer to the A27 and lower lying so would cause less disruption visually.

However, part of the land is owned by the University of Brighton and several issues, notably compensation for the demolition of existing buildings, have not been resolved.

Both the club and the university said they were hopeful of ironing out these potential pitfalls but, as a contingency plan, the Albion have also applied to build an identical stadium at Village Way South, within the proposed South Downs National Park boundary.

Both stadia would be built in four phases with the cost at Village Way North estimated at £29 million initially, rising to £44 million on completion.

At Village Way South, these figures are approximately £3 million lower but the club insisted that is not the figure offered to the university for the land.

Albion chief executive Martin Perry said financing for the first phase of the scheme would be in place and the stadium could generate some £10 million annually for the economy of Brighton and Hove.

As a community stadium, it could also be used for a possible Rugby League franchise, school sports, summer events and concerts. However, Mr Perry insisted they were only applying to hold one pop concert and one classical concert per year.

Mr Perry said the environment has already been severely damaged by the A27 and the new stadium would actually improve the visual amenity of the area.

However, there were three main issues to iron out with the University of Brighton if the Village Way North plan was to proceed - money, terms of the lease of the land and technical details of how the stadium would sit on the site in respect of the university.

Although talks nearly broke down in the summer, Mr Perry remained hopeful of an agreement.

University director Sir David Watson, said: "The University of Brighton continues to support the city council in the development of a community stadium at Falmer.

"The university's board of governors have identified the issues which would have to be resolved before they can agree to a development at Village Way North. Discussions are taking place with Brighton and Hove Albion and some progress is being made.

"The main issues for the university are the overall design and the impact on our campus, the environmental impact of the development, traffic management and the financial consequences of replacing university buildings. The university will continue to oppose a development within the proposed national park on Village Way South."

A spokesman for the University of Sussex, also based nearby, said both schemes would have knock-on effects but it was unlikely they would support anything that did not have the backing of the University of Brighton.

Falmer residents remain vehemently opposed to both plans.

John Woodruff, publican of the Swan Inn, said he thought the issue was in its "terminal throws".

He said: "If the first plan fails, which it will, they will have to go to the second, which is in the National Park.

"We do not want the stadium at Falmer. I have had the monetary aspect put to me before, but that does nothing for me. We are trying to keep the fabric of the village together."

Tom Carr, chairman of Falmer Parish Council's stadium committee, said residents were certain they would be able to overturn both planning applications.

Mr Carr said: "We are sure the Village Way North will fail. Both sites have major environmental problems and transport problems. But the Village Way South site is vastly less popular still. It will be higher up in the Downs and more visible.

"When you see the plans in more detail there is very little for the community and those benefits could be provided by the universities without the need for the stadium."

Club chairman Dick Knight said a new stadium was vital.

He said: "This city has no modern arena within its boundaries. Whoever heard of a great city without a great stadium? Falmer is the best and only option that is viable for this football club and this city."

Mr Knight said the earliest a ball could be kicked at the new stadium would be late 2004, assuming the plans went to a public inquiry. Otherwise it would be a year earlier.

A spokesman for Brighton and Hove City Council said: "It's a massive application and will take some months to process. Applications like this usually get called in for the Government to make a final decision."

Leader of Brighton and Hove City Council Ken Bodfish has previously said the site at Village Way North was the council's preferred location for a new stadium.

He said yesterday: "I do not think it is appropriate for me to comment. The matter now has to go through the planning committee."