Dave Bangs' claim (Letters, June 24) that I was "adamant Toad's Hole Valley was a good potential site for a new stadium" is misleading.

It was my belief that all possible sites should be fully explored and I did support the inclusion of Toad's Hole Valley as one of the 16 potential locations in that important process, from which Village Way North rightly emerged as the best site.

I do, however, fully stand by my right to change my view on the establishment of a national park.

I listened to the arguments and arrived at the conclusion more than three years ago that a national park was the best way to protect genuine downland areas of the South Downs.

Of course, I know what a Site of Nature Conservation Interest (SNCI) is and apologise for the error in my previous letter.

I have, during the past seven years, been asking that the SNCI be transferred to the protection of the city so it can be properly looked after.

The fact remains that I support building a community stadium on a site that has been earmarked for development for 15 years and is outside the proposed boundaries for the South Downs National Park.

-Ivor Caplin MP, House of Commons, London SW1