The planning inspector who almost wrecked the Albion's dream for a new stadium believes the team's collapse would be no loss to football.

In the conclusion to his 262-page dossier, in which he ripped apart almost every claim made in support of the community stadium at Falmer, John Collyer wrote: "If Brighton and Hove Albion Football Club were lost to the league there is no convincing evidence football nationally would suffer any serious harm."

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott has rejected Mr Collyer's advice to immediately refuse planning permission for the 22,374-seat stadium.

Instead, the public inquiry will be briefly reopened to determine once and for all if Falmer is the best option.

From the vehemence of Mr Collyer's verdict it is more than a politically astute move - it could be the club's last chance.

The inspector, who presided over the eight-month inquiry, which began in February last year, said the £48 million development would be conspicuous and unwelcome.

It fundamentally failed any test of need and would be a massive and alien intrusion, a blot on the attractive landscape blighting the entire South Downs.

He dismissed claims the village of Falmer was already compromised by the presence of the A27 and university campus.

New roads to serve the stadium would add "appreciably" to the environmental harm.

Mr Collyer backed villagers' claims such as an interchange would lead to Falmer merging with the outskirts of Brighton.

Light pollution from floodlights would cause "demonstrable" harm.

Landscaping measures would not come close to repairing the damage. Noise from traffic would stretch into the late evening and weekends.

Even the Albion's claims of the importance of the stadium to the city's economy - with the creation of 600 jobs and investment worth £24.4 million - were dismissed.

The inspector wrote "the applicants' figures are an over-estimate" and the figure for money generated would be more like £13 million as fans would be spending their money in the city anyway. He said: "Both the jobs provision and the boost to the economy would not be so great as they say."

Any cultural, social, educational, recreational or health improvement would be felt whichever site was chosen.

Financial success But the most galling comments for fans were saved until last. To justify developing an area of open downland, the club had to prove there was a need for a football club in the city and it could not survive elsewhere.

Mr Collyer said there was little in the way of tangible evidence to support the claim the club's very existence depended on the plans.

He said: "It has now survived into its seventh season away from its last permanent home, during which time it appears to have enjoyed a noticeable measure of success in terms of managing its finances.

"While, given the wide-ranging benefits which professional football clubs can engender, I accept there is a national dimension to the continued operation of a league of such clubs throughout the UK, there is no compelling evidence that all major urban centres must be represented."

Albion chairman Dick Knight yesterday was appalled by some of the inspector's comments.

He said: "I am surprised this inspector has come up with this conclusion but I am not floored by it.

"We have to look at this in the broader context. If John Prescott wanted to accept the recommendations, he would have said no to Falmer straight away.

"I am absolutely convinced Mr Prescott will come to the conclusion the only site in Brighton is Falmer. We have already looked at and evaluated all the other sites."

Addressing the report's findings, he added: "The idea that Falmer is an idyllic, tranquil spot of rural countryside is open to debate.

"It is already surrounded by a dual carriageway, a railway line and the ugliest buildings from the university campus."

Mr Knight also defended the club's figures on the number of jobs and amount of cash that would spring from the stadium.

He said: "His comments are flawed because we have demonstrated the job numbers we put forward are totally sustainable.

"If Brighton and Hove lost its football club there would be no football league representatives along 150 miles of the South Coast - if the inspector does not think that's a national problem, he does not understand football."