Liverpool's new stadium will hold at least 60,000 fans

Liverpool have begun preliminary work on their new �350m stadium.

The Reds have been allowed to proceed with the construction process under licence until September while talks over the 999-year lease deal continue.

"I'm pleased the club have received full planning permission and it can commence with enabling works," said Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks.

"We recognise the importance of a new LFC stadium as part of the wider regeneration of the local area."

A spokesman for Liverpool City Council confirmed that a special licence had been arranged to allow the work to start.

"It is true that the lease is not yet signed - discussions are going on," he told BBC Sport.

606: DEBATE I like the design, but my biggest concern is that the seats are too far away from the pitch MTB

"We have issued a licence to cover the next couple of months to allow the club to get onto Stanley Park and to prepare the ground by adding things like portable buildings.

"It is my understanding that no major work will happen before the lease is signed," he said, adding that he did not anticipate any problems getting the lease signed.

Liverpool co-owner George Gillett added: "I am delighted that the design got full planning consent and that we are on site.

"This is first tangible evidence for fans that a new stadium will be built."

He and Hicks displayed another sign of thawing tensions between the two by making their first joint statement this year on the Liverpool website.

Liverpool had been granted approval for a 60,000-capacity stadium, adjacent to their current Anfield home, in May.

But the new ground could accommodate up to 73,000 if further planning permission is granted.

The stadium, being built by Laing O'Rourke, is scheduled to open in August 2011 and will feature an 18,500-seat single tier stand for the Kop.