Full marks to Paul Hayward and his support for the vision of Brighton and Hove as a sporting city (The Argus, February 20). It's important all people across Sussex back the Albion and their plans for a new stadium.

There are no viable alternative sites and the plan will form the very heart of that sporting city.

He is right to say the Albion are now too successful and popular to ignore. Of course Brighton and Hove City Council has been backing the club long before their current success, coming up with a landmark planning scheme to get them into Withdean in the first place and offering use of the stadium.

But there are other examples of progress, with the Bears at the Brighton Centre, new pitches being created for Hove Rugby Club at the council-owned rec and, hopefully, a new King Alfred centre on the way.

What you need first of all is commitment and the determination and the council has lots of both. With that, the much-needed facilities will follow and the inevitable doubters will be overcome.

-Coun Mike Middleton, Lead councillor for recreation, Brighton and Hove City Council