The Albion were dealt a slap in the face last night as councillors voted overwhelmingly against the club's plans for a new stadium.

Lewes district councillors unanimously rejected proposals for a £44 million stadium at Falmer, vowing to push for a public inquiry if the project gets the go-ahead from Brighton and Hove City Council.

Councillors urged the club to go back to the drawing board, insisting the stadium was an urban project and totally unsuitable for the rural setting of Village Way.

One councillor dubbed applications for a stadium either north or south of Village Way "an exercise in trying to shoehorn it into a gap beside the A27 in a way that can only be futile".

Falmer residents who turned out in force to the meeting of the Northern Area Planning Applications Committee were delighted with the outcome.

Eric Huxham, chairman of Falmer Parish Council said: "We are very pleased with the backing we received tonight but it was nothing more than we expected."

Councillors followed the recommendation of planning officials, who advised them to reject the scheme on a variety of grounds.

Officers said they did not believe there was either an exceptional national need for the stadium or a demonstrable lack of alternative sites.

They raised concerns about visual impact, noise and light pollution, increased traffic and the impact on Falmer residents.

Councillor Graham Mayhew accepted the Albion needed a new stadium but insisted Falmer was not the right place.

He said the proposals would drive a coach and horses through the concept of a National Park and said brownfield sites - particularly at Shoreham harbour - should be investigated more closely.

He added: "We're talking about a major visual intrusion in completely unspoilt countryside. And anybody walking on the Downs within a few miles will be aware of every roar that goes up."

Anna Appleton, councillor for Kingston ward which covers Falmer, said functions such as pop concerts would have to be held year round to make the stadium viable.

Earlier this week, Albion fans accused the council of ignoring the views of thousands of supporters who live in the Lewes district.

Albion chief executive Martin Perry accused the district councillors of talking "nonsense" and said alternative sites would be a worse option now than when they were first looked at.