Labour councillors will join a march outside their party's conference in Brighton to press the Government to approve Albion's plans for a stadium at Falmer.

Stadium supporters will march from Madeira Drive to the Brighton Centre and back from 5.30pm on Monday, September 27.

Council supporters of a 22,000-seat community stadium near Falmer station want to hammer home the message to Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, who will make the final decision.

Labour councillor Simon Battle, who represents Goldsmid ward, said: "I think the march is an excellent idea and I will be very happy to join in.

"It will give people the opportunity to make a peaceful and passionate demand to the Government for the stadium we all know we need.

"It's a chance for all local people who want a stadium - councillors, fans and others - to demonstrate there's only one site in Brighton and Hove."

Craig Turton, East Brighton Labour councillor and deputy chairman of the environment committee, said: "Work commitments permitting, I intend to join other Albion fans on the march.

"Falmer is the only logical site for the proposed stadium that, in addition to providing a home for Albion, will provide economic regeneration and employment opportunities for the city.

"None of the other sites identified by Government planning inspectors is realistic."

Simon Burgess, Queen's Park Labour councillor and deputy chairman of the policy and resources committee, said: "I will be attending as someone who supports a stadium at Falmer.

"Prescott has to act very carefully within planning law and I feel he has done the most he can within his powers by reopening the question of sites."

Council leader Ken Bodfish was unavailable for comment.

More than two-thirds of voters in a city-wide referendum approved the principle of a stadium at Falmer and 61,000 people signed a petition in favour before the city council backed it by 11 votes to one in June 2002.

Mr Prescott has ordered the reopening of a public inquiry so other sites can be looked at in more detail before he makes a final decision on Falmer.

The club has spent £3 million on the plans while the council has spent hundreds of thousands of pounds at the public inquiry and earmarked land for a stadium near Falmer station.

A spokesman for the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister said no decision had been made about when the inquiry would resume or who the new inspector would be.

Responding to comments from Lewes MP Norman Baker, he said: "We would refute any allegation any planning decision was made for political reasons."