Alternative sites for Albion's new stadium would attract even more objections and cause greater environmental damage, according to a city planning manager.

Nigel Green, manager of Brighton and Hove City Council's planning policy department, said plans for a 22,000-seat stadium at Falmer was the best option.

Mr Green, a Southampton supporter, told a public inquiry at Hove Town Hall into plans for the stadium that the main alternative sites Waterhall, north of the Brighton A27 bypass at Patcham, and Toads Hall Valley, Hove, were both in areas of outstanding natural beauty.

An alternative, Hickstead, was rejected because it was too far north of Brighton and the site next to Brighton station had been ruled out because it was earmarked for housing.

Mr Green gave evidence for two days on the council's reasons for coming out in favour of Falmer as the preferred site for the community stadium.

The proposed site is on land north of Village Way, bordered by Brighton University buildings and the Lewes/Brighton railway line.

Mr Green said: "We looked at a whole range of sites and evaluated all of them and came forward with Falmer as the best site. The full council came to the decision Falmer was the best site."

Asked by objector Richard Child about a 1999 article in The Argus in which council leader Ken Bodfish put forward the idea of having another look at the Waterhall site, Mr Green replied: "I do not know what goes on in the mind of Ken Bodfish.

"Waterhall has been looked at thoroughly. The problem with Waterhall is that once there is development at that spot, there is no barrier to stop it."

The council has stipulated there should be no major development north of the bypass.

Mr Green said: "Waterhall will have national park boundaries to the north, south and east. It would bring bigger objections on environment grounds."

He told objector Hazel McKay that both Brighton and Sussex Universities would benefit by having a stadium nearby.

The inquiry continues.