PLANNING chiefs are being urged to give Preston North End the promotion present they want more than anything else -- permission to build their new stadium.

As celebrations erupted throughout the town following the crowning of North End as Division Two champions, PNE-following councillors have urged the council to resolve arguments over plans for the new 30,000 seater stadium -- and let it go ahead.

Preston Borough Council is refusing to give planning permission until PNE say how they are going to combat match day congestion. They want to see more parking, or a park and ride scheme, implemented before they will let building start.

But PNE chairman Bryan Gray said: "We said that we would continue the building of the ground when we got into the First Division and we will do that as soon as we get planning permission, starting with the Town End." Coun Albert Richardson, a PNE shareholder, added: "North End are making the town proud by bringing us into the First Division. We should repay that now by letting them build their stadium, which will be good for the town.

"Congestion is a problem at every ground in the country, but we are doing ourselves no favours by holding up the stadium plans.

"Now is the ideal time to stand back and let the club build the other two sides of the stadium. It has to be a priority if North End are to prosper in the future."

North End have played in a half-completed stadium for the past two seasons. The ambitious plan would involve replace the current Town End and Pavilion stands, taking capacity past the 30,000 mark.

PNE's deputy chairman Derek Shaw said: "We still have a number of issues to resolve with the council, including congestion, which, to be honest, is a problem throughout the country.

"We really want to get the stand built."

But Peter Bulmer, Preston's head of planning, said: "We are currently in communication with PNE over the plans. I am not at liability to discuss what is being discussed, but suffice to say there are talks."