The comments of a planning inspector who said Falmer was the wrong site for a stadium will be rebuffed in a formal response to his report.

Charles Hoile, who held an inquiry into the blueprint for the development of Brighton and Hove, sparked a furore when he said the site earmarked for the 23,000-seat arena in Village Way North was unsuitable and should not be set aside for a stadium in the city's local plan.

Brighton and Hove City Council has now drafted its formal response to his comments, although it will not have any impact on the decision due to be made by John Prescott on the community stadium.

Council leader Ken Bodfish said: "The Falmer site was identified for employment uses in the Brighton Borough Plan and would lie outside the proposed South Downs National Park. It also has good rail and bus links.

"The inspector cites Sheepcote Valley as being a better site for the stadium, yet this has no possibility at all of rail connections and would have to be accessed through residential areas. It has also not been identified for development."

Mr Hoile also opposed the council's policy on affordable housing. But the council is being recommended to stick with its figure of 40 per cent on all developments of more than ten houses.