With so much furious debate over the merits of the Falmer site, it is surprising no one has looked at the experience of our near neighbour, Southampton.

If anyone had, they would have learned that after a process of two years or more, permission was finally given, on appeal, for an out-of-town greenfield site for their stadium.

By that time, however, views had become more enlightened, and, on looking more closely at the traffic implications, the opposition of neighbouring authorities and financial problems, a decision was taken to abandon it in favour of a town centre site.

Southampton is now in the process of completing its community stadium on a brownfield site in the town centre, acknowledged as being more sustainable and useful to the community.

Brighton and Hove Council is in the process of taking the station site, an important town centre option, out of consideration. If, as seems highly likely, permission is finally refused for the Falmer site, I wonder where this will leave the Albion?

-Councillor Joyce Edmond Smith, Bentham Road, Brighton