A downland site which developers would like to use for business or housing will remain untouched - for now.

However, in the long term, there could be building at Toad's Hole Valley, the largest possible development site south of the Brighton bypass.

The valley in Hove is part of the South Downs area of outstanding natural beauty and its future was hotly debated during the public inquiry last year into the Local Plan.

In his report on the plan, inspector Charles Hoile said the issue should wait until the boundaries of the proposed national park have been decided.

If the council still felt there was a need for high- quality business development the Local Plan could be reviewed.

Mr Hoile added: "It might be Toad's Hole Valley presents the best long-term opportunity to meet such a need.

"Such an allocation would be controversial and only a formal procedure with the necessary full public consultation could resolve the matter."

Mr Hoile also ruled out the valley as a possible site for Brighton and Hove Albion's community stadium and did not think it should be used for housing.

The inspector rejected the use of Hangleton Bottom, at the junction of the link road and the bypass, for office or business development.

He said if a waste transfer station had to be built there it should be low-rise and not prominent.

Mr Hoile said even if the site was not included in the national park it should remain green.

The inspector said he did not think there would be much chance of significant change to Shoreham Harbour in the lifetime of the plan and that no one was likely to finance the necessary link road or tunnel.

He said there should be a detailed assessment of the value of a private playing field at Redhill Close, Westdene, as open space.

It should be allocated for housing if it is not found to be sufficiently important.

Permission has been granted to a local association for community and sporting development on the site.

But the planning committee is due to consider at its next meeting on February 25 an application by the owners for housing to be built there.

The inspector supported the majority of proposals made by the city council for the Local Plan.