A Conservative who aims to unseat MP Norman Baker has backed Brighton and Hove Albion's plans for Falmer.

Rory Love said the proposed community stadium would not cause chaos but would provide jobs and benefits for many people in the Lewes area.

Mr Baker's outspoken opposition to the plans has angered many Albion fans and Mr Love, the Tories' prospective parliamentary candidate for Lewes, is hoping to overturn the Liberal Democrat MP's majority of almost 10,000.

Mr Love, 44, said: "I know it's going to be extremely controversial to begin with.

"When there's a major development such as a 22,000-seat stadium just a few hundred yards from a pretty idyllic village around a duckpond, people are obviously going to be hugely concerned.

"I fully understand the concerns about traffic access and so on but I think those perceived worries are greater than the actual threat.

"The problems have been overcome at Withdean and there's no reason they shouldn't be overcome at Falmer. The club is prepared to work with the local people as it has through the liaison group at Withdean."

Mr Love, a training and development consultant who was once leader of Shepway District Council, said: "We are talking here about the only League team in Sussex.

"It's serious enough in terms of football alone but in addition you've got the Football in the Community scheme which needs to be extended in Lewes. There's a willingness and desire from the Albion to put even more effort into East Sussex.

"Norman Baker must speak for himself. He no doubt will have an answer to the girls' football clubs that wouldn't be able to survive without the Albion, the people with disabilities who wouldn't get the kind of coaching they've received and the children throughout his constituency who'd miss out on work experience programmes.

"If Lewes Football Club had another FA Cup run like they did a couple of years ago when they played Stoke, then they could play a match at Falmer. What a great place to have a local game. It's really good to have a professional football club close by but that's likely to be lost if Falmer falls through. We run the risk of losing out on a whole range of benefits the Albion provide.

"Making a statement like this is not going to endear me to everyone but there's a time to say something irrespective of how popular or not it's going to make me."

Mr Baker said: "This is an opportunist, last-minute intervention which is not driven by interest for the Albion but by political persuasion.

"I think people will see through the comments of a johnny-come-lately who only enters the frame when a decision is about to be made.

"It's a matter for the Deputy Prime Minister to judge the planning application."