News that Brighton and Hove Albion has been given the go-ahead for a new stadium has not been welcomed by everyone.

Villagers from Falmer say it will destroy the hamlet they compare to fictional idylls such as Dibley and Ambridge by attracting traffic it cannot cope with and noisy crowds of football hooligans.

But those living round in the Withdean area of Brighton, where the temporary stadium has lived for the past ten years, have reassured them there is little to worry about.

Most said the football club had not bothered them very much and that Falmer residents will probably soon forget the stadium was there.

Tonight locals were said to be at a "wake" at The Swan Inn in Falmer.

A long drawn-out fight against the 22,000-seat football stadium proposed for land at Village Way North seems finally defeated after Communities Secretary Hazel Blears said 'yes' to planning permission.

Campaigners said they were particularly upset because of a recent recommendation to strip the site of its 'Area of Natural Beauty' status by a government inspector - who in a leaked report said the land should not be included within the boundary of the proposed South Downs national park.

Protestors also shared concerns about increased traffic and noise, a village crammed with parked cars, knock-on effects at the nearby University of Sussex and ecological dangers to the habitat.

The stadium is planned for acres of land which have been rented by Peter Lenihan of Park Farm for 26 years.

Mr Lenihan said he was concerned for the future of his business because so much of his land will be taken away and customers will be put off coming because of all the traffic they will have to travel through.

He said: "I am very disappointed and annoyed.

"In our opinion it will have quite a marked effect on the infrastructure of the roads and amount of people crowding here."

David Burr, 66, of The Courtyard, Falmer, said: "People have become a bit cynical about how things have been done.

"Stripping the area of its Area of Natural Beauty obviously makes our fight against the stadium more difficult.

"Its like David and Goliath - how can we fight a governmental organisation which keeps changing the rules on us?

"There will be noise virtually every night not just when football matches are on.

"We are all looking into getting double glazing."

Dr Martyn Stenning, an ecologist who works at the nearby University of Sussex, said the new structure could have a detrimental effect on the habitat around it.

He said: "I am gutted.

"There will be a progressive degeneration of birds and other wildlife around the stadium and the pressure on the people who live here will be considerable.

"All sorts of people will be coming here using university car parks which are needed for students and staff. For the life of me I cannot understand how they are going to make it all work together."

Jackie Whitford, of Park Street, Falmer, said: "I think it is a catastrophe.

"The goalposts have been moved by the authorities in order to grant this planning permission which is an outrage.

"Why build in an idyllic little village like this. It is like 'Dibley' here or 'Ambridge' and should be protected."

Emma Quinton, a mum-of-six whose home overlooks the site said she thought it was immoral.

The 49-year-old, of Park Street, said: "I don't want the stadium at all - this is not the end of it. It is going to be awful. Just the other week some football team came training on the green and they were all weeing on the fence in full view.

"It will bring too many people here and too much noise."

However, those living outside of Falmer did not share the residents' gloomy view about the future of their home.

Suzanne Brocken of Holmes Avenue, Hove, and Chris Coppard, of Bernard Road, Brighton, said they often came up to Falmer pond to eat a picnic and loved the picturesque area.

Ms Brocken said: "I live near the old Goldstone Ground and it never caused a problem at all - in fact it enhanced the neighbourhood.

"It was always well policed, no-one ever annoyed anyone and it gave a bit of excitement every so often when there was a game on - and the rest of the time you forgot about it.

"I really like it up here in Falmer but I don't think it will make much difference. You can't even see where it will be from here and it will only be noisy for a couple of hours on match days."

Mr Coppard said: "I don't know what they are talking about with the noise. It won't be as constant or probably as loud as the A27 which you can here all over the village."

Those living near Withdean, where the current, temporary stadium is, also played down the effects the new football facility would have on its neighbours since, they said, it had never affected them much.

In the past some residents have complained about the effects of the stadium - in particular one John Catt, 82, of Shepherd's Croft who took Brighton and Hove City Council to High Court over planning permission for an extra terrace behind his home.

But his appeal was dismissed and most neighbours when asked did not share his concerns.

Ralph Pavey, of Shepherd's Croft, said: "I understand where people like Mr Catt are coming from but personally I have never had a problem with the ground.

"I can see games from my garden and my grandkids love it - it can be quite exciting. But the new stadium is better for the community and for the club. I am pleased for them that they have eventually been given a stadium."

Roy Gurney, 73, of Eldred Road said: "I have never had a problem with Albion being here but this was not the right stadium for them.

"I have not really noticed an issue with noise or parking or anything as a result - it is only so often that there is a match. I imagine the people at Falmer will find it is not as bad as they fear."

Mum-of-two Maggie Walker, 46, also of Eldred Road, agreed. She said: "I think it is great news.

"My husband is an Albion fan but stopped buying a season ticket because he was fed up of being wet. This new stadium has a roof so he will probably get one again.

"It has never bothered us in the slightest being there - Albion fans do not have a reputation for being badly behaved."

Keen Albion supporter Paul Gargan, 26, of Tongdean Lane, said: "It has been a long time coming.

"I used to watch them every week at Goldstone and it was a brilliant atmosphere and the club really deserves a proper stadium again."

But Trish Penney, 63, of Eldred Road, said: "I kind of feel we will get our Saturdays back.

"None of the fans are unreasonable but the noise, parking and litter left over by football fans are unavoidable. You get streams of people coming down the road before and after matches and the synchronized grunting during the matches."