PRESTON'S legendary Town End is set to be replaced by a superb two-tier stand after the club's long-running battle with the local council over planning permission was finally resolved.

Club chiefs are determined to get as many seats as possible inside the ground, and are considering making the new Town End two tier, with work starting as early as December.

But it can only start if North End get the money they have asked for from the latest share issue to fans -- some £7.5 million.

Two sides of North End's ground still need redeveloping, the Town End and the Pavilion stand. The Sir Tom Finney Stand and Bill Shankly Kop are already both all-seater, and the other two could be completed within two years.

Club chairman Bryan Gray said: "Our plan is to try and get as close to 30,000 seats as possible so we are thinking about a two-tier Town End.

"No decision has been made, but we hope it will hold more people than the Kop opposite.

"We need to raiser the money to build the Town End and the Pavilion but we are confident we can do it. The fans are behind us."

Preston manager David Moyes, who entered the war between the club and Preston Borough Council over planning permission earlier this year, said it was great news for the club. He said: "This is a massive step forward for the club.

"Now what we need to do is get the funding to go ahead and start building the stands.

"We need to start attracting players to the club and a good stadium is an excellent start.

Club bosses have agreed to sign a legal agreement with the council requiring both parties to work together to agree solutions to problems brought on by the ever-growing crowd at Deepdale.

Months of detailed negotiations on traffic and parking issues have resulted in an agreement between the two parties.

The main terms of the agreement are that they have a working partnership with an annual review of progress, fundamental reviews when crowds reach averages of 16,500 and 18,700, and financial support from PNE for traffic-calming measures once the higher crowd figure is reached.

Mr Gray, who has spearheaded the transformation of PNE from perennial strugglers to Premiership wannabes, said: "I think we have a good solution for everybody and I am delighted we can now press on and develop a stadium which this club deserves. "

Councillor Ron Atkins, chairman of planning, said: "This agrees a balance of allowing the club to create a stadium that is worthy of their ambition of playing in the Premiership and at the same time, ensuring the interests of residents around the ground are accommodated.

"The increased number of spectators that further success will bring will now be managed as a partnership with the club, without bringing undue traffic problems for local residents."