We asked Cardiff City owner Sam Hammam to share his thoughts following the positive verdict on the three main planning applications on Wednesday this week.

"It was a very special day for Wales because now we have the ability and potential to realise the dream," said Sam. "And the dream is for this club to play football at the top level of the English league and in Europe.

"The important thing here that I would like to say is that Cardiff City Football Club isn't just a football club. It's a concept and a thing that should bring Welsh people together and Welsh pride at the top level.

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"I don't think that Wales has had any super success stories over the last few hundred years. Every time the head is raised it gets smashed. I think that by us succeeding for Wales, through this club - that's the Welsh answer that we're going to go kick some butt across the Severn Bridge.

"I think that this is what we are trying to do and if you watch our games, if the other team scores then it's 'one nil to England'., even though we may be playing Coventry for example

"On the other hand, if one of our players kicks one of theirs ten feet high and gets a yellow card, you hear 'Same old English, always cheating'.

"What I'm trying to say here is that it's not just about a football club playing football. It's about the pride of a nation."

With the main hurdle overcome, what else do we have to wait for - and should we be concerned?

"It's not just the business plan," he said. "There are fifteen issues that we have to complete including the business plan. Including the business plan itself, it's all a cup of tea from now on.

"The business plan is there and we have the money. It's been agreed in principle and we just have to present it. There can be no problems from here on that I can foresee that will stop us starting in around ninety to a hundred days.

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"There is a statutory period which is called the Judicial Review period, which we have to wait ninety days from the day they actually register it.

"I don't know if they are going to register it today, tomorrow or early next week. So we are hoping to start construction in May."

We then asked how the construction phase of the project would begin and develop over the coming years.

"We have to have the new Athletics stadium ready before we can knock down the existing one as that's where the new stadium is going to be built," said Hammam.

"That will happen and the new contracts will be in place. From here on it's just about physically executing what we have planned.

"Hopefully we will begin in May, then the whole thing will take two years. Really it's one and a half, but we've got to build the new Athletics stadium first and then build the stadium itself."

One concern raised by both fans and the media is that of current debt. Was this a problem and how would we aim to move clear?

"The stadium is the key thing and the vehicle that we have to rely on to take us to our dream. We have to have the stadium. The advantage of the stadium is that it's not just a stadium where we are going to play football.

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"There are a few hundred thousand square feet within the bowels of the stadium which will be generating income for the club, because we own the stadium.

"It will be somewhere between three and six million pounds a year and that will remain the legacy for the future of this club.

"So you can imagine, before we kick a ball, that's the sort of money that we can generate from non football activity. That means that the club will always be powerful.

"But initially we have to build the stadium and there will be borrowings that need to be done. We have made a deal with financial institutions and with other banks which are in place and part of our business plan. "

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And does the financial aspect of the project mean that we will have to hold tight a little in terms of exciting new signings walking into Ninian Park?

Sam answered, "At the moment we are reasonably restricted on the money we can spend on playing staff and players. That is healthy, but for the next year to two years we will be restricted.

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"I think the purse will open sometime, if we are very lucky this summer. I doubt it, but certainly by the summer after I assume, because all of the finances will be flowing at that time.

"But I'd like us to be as strong as possible when we open the new stadium. We don't want to open the stadium without a very powerful team to match, so that's the idea."

In closing, how happy are you with how things are progressing?

"I'm very excited," beamed Sam. "What we're doing is for every Welsh man woman or child living in Wales or anywhere in the world. Guys - we're going to make it."

This FULL interview is available on Cardiff City World on Friday, where Sam also covers team spending and wages, the academy, no fear of relegation, council support, frustrations on the way and excitement at starting.

He also explains some of the intricacies of the stadium and how phase one and two will develop.

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Trust us - with the stadium development process beginning, any true fan will want to have the best access to interviews and features from the inside track.

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We will be bringing you the latest online news as things progress. The best way to view this will be on Cardiff City World.

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