THIS is the exciting new vision for Plymouth Argyle's £50million stadium being planned for the Home Park site.

The 46,000-seat stadium will be built in three stages, with initial work starting next year.

These stunning images of the new stadium have been released exclusively to The Herald by Keith Todd, Argyle's executive director.

The full-size stadium will be built if Plymouth is chosen this week as a World Cup host city: but Phase One – to increase capacity to 27,000 – will become a reality whatever the outcome.

The city is one of 15 bidding to be among about a dozen to host games and Fan Fests in 2018.

Plymouth will learn on Wednesday whether it has been chosen as part of the England 2018 bid.

FIFA will decide in December next year which country will stage the 2018 and 2022 World Cup.

Mr Todd said the new stadium could be built even if the city's hopes of World Cup glory were dashed, because the club hoped to turn it into a major regional sport and entertainment venue.

The first phase would begin at the end of next season, whatever the World Cup bid outcome. Phase Two, for an extra 8,000 seats, and Phase Three, taking it to the full 46,000, would happen in time for the 2014-15 season, said Mr Todd.

The design is by Populous, the firm behind the new Wembley Stadium in London.

Populous is also responsible for the Lansdowne Road Aviva Stadium in Dublin and Arsenal's Emirates Stadium.

By Phase One the designs shown here will already be visible on the stadium's south side.

"The expectation is that the current grandstand will be replaced at the end of next season," Mr Todd said, adding that the first phase would cost about £20million and the whole stadium would be 'the best part of £50million.

"All the funding elements are being put together at the moment and the commitment on the funding will come together during next year," Mr Todd said, "but we're confident about that. In the event we don't get the World Cup, we'll still go forward with Phase One.

"Depending on the success of the club and the venue, we could decide to go ahead with the other two phases. I'm very excited."

The pictures were released to The Herald ahead of this week's big announcement.

"People will realise what a huge amount of work has gone into the Plymouth bid. More than 100 people have worked on it," Mr Todd said.

"The Football Association has seen the plans and all of the design is FIFA-compliant, and therefore compliant with the England 2018 World Cup bid.

"We've got nine years to get the club into a better position, including the Premier League."

Speaking a day after Argyle's big management shake-up, with head coach Paul Mariner taking over footballing matters from Paul Sturrock, Mr Todd said: "We know exactly where we are; we're second from bottom in the Championship and we've got to improve things on the pitch."

The existing pitch will be replaced next summer with a tougher surface that will allow much greater use of the ground.

"We're intending this as a venue for music and entertainment for more than just the present two days in the summer," Mr Todd said.

"We're also intending to have big rugby matches here."

Mr Todd has already revealed plans for a 5,000-seat arena next to the stadium, and a hotel.

"The other elements we have planned mean it will be a vibrant area rather than a white elephant," he said. "There are no facilities like this in the area."

The Plymouth 2018 World Cup bid team makes its final presentation tomorrow afternoon.

"We then have to hold our breath until Wednesday afternoon," Mr Todd said.

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Plymouth's 2018 World Cup bid promotional video.

Plymouth Argyle World Cup bid promotional video with Helen Chamberlain.

Argyle press conference: Plymouth bid to host World Cup. Filmed August 21. 2009.