FOOTBALL club officials have released two photographs showing how a proposed hotel would look next to their stadium in a bid to get it built.

The images have been provided by Brighton and Hove Albion to the city council after planners gave the 150-bed hotel an initial thumbs down on design grounds – despite last week unveiling the King Alfred development, which has been described as "Croydon-on-Sea" by critics.

Brighton and Hove City Council planning officers oppose plans for a 150-bed hotel, which will be known as Aloft, at the American Express Community Stadium on design grounds - despite the authority have received only two objections from residents concerned only with increased traffic.

New images released by the club show the supposed impact of the hotel on views of the stadium which towers more than two metres above the new development.

The club has also confirmed the hotel, which has been called Aloft Brighton, will operate as a franchise of one of the world’s leading hotel operators Starwood Hotels and Resorts Worldwide, which also runs Sheraton and Westin hotels worldwide.

The proposals have split supporters’ opinion with some criticising council officers including one fan who suggested a more “boring” design like the winning King Alfred design may have fared better.

Other fans have been critical of the design with one North Stand Chat forum member writing “the beautiful curves of the Amex will be ruined by a square block”.

Albion fan and performance poet Attila the Stockbroker said: “In the past it was said the Amex would spoil the Downs so it’s great that the council is so impressed by our stadium it now wants a hotel that is its architectural equal.”

More politicians have backed the club with Labour Lord Bassam of Brighton saying the project’s economic case was “overwhelming” while MPs Peter Kyle and Simon Kirby have signed a letter calling on planning officers to meet the club to “iron out concerns”.

Residents living in Falmer and Saltdean have objected, saying the three-storey hotel with an NHS radiotherapy unit in its basement will lead to more A27 traffic and “further exacerbate the misery suffered by local residents”.

Meanwhile, Falmer Parish Council chairwoman Melanie Cutress criticised the hotel’s “bland architecture and bland landscaping”, saying the stadium deserved something more special.

Councillors and council officials raised concerns over the design with the club in June before the application was submitted.

The other stumbling block for the plans are cited as the club’s offer of “well below” the £45,000 requested in section 106 contributions to the council for sustainable transport and local employment in return for getting the green light.

The club said they are happy to pay for improved disability transport to the site.

But they are unhappy over requirements to pay for skills as the club already pays more than £400,000 training their staff, £80,000-a-year for the Bridge Community Centre and will have the additional cost of training the 82 new hotel staff.

It is expected the hotel will open in September 2017.