COUNCILLORS at Lewes have warned they will force a public inquiry if

neighbouring Brighton and Hove presses ahead with plans for a new football stadium at Falmer.

At a Lewes Town Hall meeting last night,

district councillors unanimously rejected proposals for Albion's stadium as outlined in Brighton and Hove Council's local plan.

They said the idea of a stadium at Falmer was "unbelievable" and went against

several of Brighton and Hove's own planning policy guidelines.

Members of the environment, planning, and transport committee were asked for their comments on a draft of Brighton and Hove's local plan containing proposals for a stadium just yards outside the Lewes district boundary.

The club's £30 million plans for the site in Village Way North include a multi-purpose sports hall and a scientific development linked to both Brighton and Sussex universities.

But the proposals have led to strong opposition from

environmentalists and residents of Falmer, which is next door to the proposed development.

Committee chairman Graham Mayhew said the issue could well lead to a public inquiry if the committee lodged a formal objection to the Local Plan policies when they are re-submitted in six weeks time.

Coun Anna Appleton, who represents the Falmer area, said: "They say they cannot identify alternative sites but they've deliberately slanted all their investigations towards Falmer.

"The people of Falmer will find it horrendous to have this 25,000-seater football stadium across an eight-acre field.

"They would be inundated with traffic and buses.

"I think Falmer is the cheap option. It's free land as far as Brighton and Hove Albion is concerned. I feel there are so many don'ts about this particular proposal. It's just unbelievable that they could possibly even think of this site."

Lindsay Frost, director of planning, said: "Brighton and Hove's own policy dictates no major development should be permitted on the Sussex Downs area of outstanding natural beauty, except where it can be demonstrated it is in the national interest and that there is no alternative site available elsewhere. This fails on both counts."

The committee decided to object strongly to Brighton and Hove and warn its concerns would be "amplified" if the policies were pursued or in the event of a planning

application.

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