Every Falmer resident will have to pay hundreds of pounds more in tax to fund a campaign against a stadium in their village - even though some want it.

The parish council has trebled its council tax bill to help fund its legal fight against Brighton and Hove Albion's bid to move from Withdean during a public inquiry into the scheme.

From April, the average resident in a Band D house will have to pay £257.17 to cover the parish precept, increased to cover legal costs in the fight against the stadium application.

Last year, the precept for Band D was set at £80.14.

The decision means Albion director Derek Chapman, a Falmer resident, will have to unwillingly fork out for a barrister to argue against the stadium he is personally backing.

Mr Chapman said while he was upset by the decision, he believed fellow villagers had a right to fight the plans if that is what the majority of residents wanted.

He was more critical of Lewes District Council for spending thousands of pounds on the inquiry because he said most taxpayers in the area want the Falmer bid to succeed.

The district council said it was right to spend £34,000 opposing the stadium.

Councillor Andy Small, lead Cabinet member for planning and transport, said: "If a local authority makes a planning decision it has to be able to stand by that whatever the issue."

"The council objected to a stadium at Falmer because it was against its planning policy.

"There was nothing nimbyish whatsoever." Coun Small said he did not believe the majority of taxpayers in Lewes want to see a new stadium at Falmer.

He said: "We strongly backed the plans to create a national park in that area and the overwhelming majority of people we surveyed said the South Downs should be protected from development."

Falmer Parish Council chairman Eric Huxham defended the decision to tax the village.

He said: "If we do not fight this planning application then we will not win. We have looked at all sorts of ways of raising the money but we cannot because it is a legal matter.

"If we wanted to raise the money for a village hall or playing field then we might have been able to get grants or loans but this was different. There was no option of legal aid and we were trapped."

Mr Chapman said he was aware he was one of a "very small minority" of Falmer residents who want the stadium to be built.

"I do not blame the people of Falmer for feeling the way they do but if the stadium is voted in, I hope they will not hold grudges either."

Other supporters of the stadium were angry at the council's decision to increase tax.

Paul Samrah, chairman of the Falmer For All Campaign, said: "I wonder if everyone in Falmer has been consulted on whether their council tax should be increased like this.

"The people against the stadium wanted the inquiry and they should have to pay for it themselves."

Councillor Bob Carden, acting chairman of Brighton and Hove City Council's planning committee, said: "I got involved with politics when fighting against the Brighton bypass and we got the money together through fund-raising, not a local tax."