A shadow Cabinet minister has called on John Prescott to approve Brighton and Hove Albion's bid for a new stadium at Falmer.

The Conservative Party's Shadow Culture Secretary, Julie Kirkbride, visited the site of the proposed 22,000-capacity arena with the club's chairman, Dick Knight, and chief executive Martin Perry.

Mr Prescott has the final say on whether Albion's Falmer application is approved, though Brighton and Hove City Council and the city's three Labour MPs have already backed the plans.

Ms Kirkbride, MP for Bromsgrove in the West Midlands, provided the highest-profile backing so far from the other side of the political spectrum.

She said: "A huge amount of effort has been put into these plans and the stadium would make a great use of this site, next to a station.

"The plan makes enormous sense. It's good for Brighton and Hove, good for fans, good for the local population and good for the club. It's win, win, win all round and I very much hope John Prescott sees the good sense of this proposal.

"Fans are right to maintain a vigorous approach to lobbying and it is exclusively in John Prescott's power to decide.

"I will happily lend any support I can in Parliament to make sure it goes ahead."

Ms Kirkbride was accompanied by the Tories' prospective parliamentary candidate for Hove and Portslade, Nicholas Boles.

Mr Knight said: "We are very grateful Julie Kirkbride has taken the trouble to come down here and look at this site. It demonstrates the national importance of the Brighton stadium issue.

"We need this stadium and we are very glad politicians in Westminster are aware of that and are very supportive."

Mr Boles said: "The Albion is very much a matter for Hove and Portslade as it is for the rest of the city.

"It would probably be in my personal interest for John Prescott not to grant the stadium permission because I would have a better chance of being elected.

"But I want to make it absolutely clear Conservatives in the city and more broadly think the Albion is an example of what football clubs should be in the community."

Ms Kirkbride also visited the West Pier for a meeting with the Brighton West Pier Trust, which had £14 million funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund to restore the pier withdrawn in January.

Developer St Modwen has been revising the package so more revenue-generating activity is on the pier and less in a controversial enabling development on the shore.

Ms Kirkbride said tourism was one of the biggest generators of jobs in Britain and needed encouragement.

She said: "Priority has to be given to schemes such as this which will provide jobs and restore a part of the national heritage which is why I support this bid."