Hundreds of Seagulls supporters will descend on the American Express Community Stadium from a massive park and ride site.

Bosses at Brighton and Hove Albion have applied to use Brighton Racecourse as a car park for up to 700 cars.

A fleet of coaches will then carry fans to the stadium in buses via the newly renovated Woodingdean crossroads and drop them off outside the stadium.

The club wants permission to use the site up to 50 times a year.

When the club applied for permission for the 22,500 stadium ten years ago it promised to explore the possibility of park and ride sites as a way to encourage sustainable transport and alleviate traffic around the stadium.

Hazel Blears, local government secretary at the time, praised the plan for “greatly assisting in discouraging the use of the private car”.

Neighbours are currently being consulted on the plans and a decision is expected to be taken by Brighton and Hove City Council by July.

The application states there is space for more than 1,650 vehicles.

However, the club has applied only to use the turfed areas outside the main complex for matchdays and other events.

The club is also to continue its current plans of the continuing use of Mill Road, near the A27 junction, and the University of Brighton’s Mithras House site.

Planning experts DMH Stallard, which is acting for the club, wrote: “It is considered this provides necessary facilities for the operation of the stadium in a sustainable manner that will have no unacceptable impacts.

“It is not considered to have any adverse impact on the character or appearance of the locality.

“By reason of the very limited time that any vehicles will be parked on the site their presence will have no detrimental impact on the character or appearance of the local area.”

Buses will use the existing hard surfaced area and enter the site from Freshfield Road before exiting onto Warren Road.

Marshalls and stewards will be on site to ensure users are directed to the correct places.

Brighton Racecourse currently operates a park and ride scheme for the London to Brighton bike ride in June.

The scheme, which costs £17 per car, sells out in advance and has limited availability.

There are currently no details on costs for the planned match-day arrangement.