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The ground is scheduled to open in 2010 and has been designed to allow future expansion to a capacity of 78,000, dependent on improvements in the local transport infrastructure.

Chief executive Rick Parry told the club's official website: "It was always the aim of the club, with the backing of [new owners] Tom Hicks and George Gillett, to be world class both on and off the pitch.

"When they took over, the first thing Tom and George wanted to do was review the stadium both in terms of the design and the capacity. This is the immensely impressive result of their deliberations.

"We're creating a stadium that not only the club and supporters can be proud of, but something the whole city can be proud of. Liverpool as a city is on the move and deserves world class developments like this.

"This new design will be unmistakably Liverpool and instantly recognisable as our stadium."

Some fans were fearful that years of tradition would be lost with the building of a new stadium, but Parry insists the architects have drawn up their plans with Liverpool's famous Kop firmly in mind.

"We've also recognised the central importance of the Kop," he added. "It will have a significantly increased capacity of 18,000 seats in a single tier structure that will be the heartbeat of the new stadium.

"The rake of the stand will be steeper and the seats tighter together, with the acoustics of the roof designed to accentuate the atmosphere during games."

Stadium designers, American-based architects HKS, have been involved in many sports arenas including the Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles and the new venue for Super Bowl champions the Indianapolis Colts.

Eurosport