Brighton and Hove Albion supporters accused villagers of dirty tricks on the day a planning inspector toured sites suggested for the club's new stadium.
At the request of Falmer Parish Council, Sussex Police put out about 20 traffic cones around Falmer pond before inspector David Brier visited the village and neighbouring land yesterday.
Mr Brier was taken on a tour of Albion's chosen site at Falmer and visited ten other sites suggested as alternatives for a stadium, ahead of a public inquiry which starts today.
Residents yesterday turned away students in cars as they tried to enter the village, near the site where Albion wants to build a 22,374-seat stadium.
The parish council said it was keen to make sure a bus carrying Mr Brier and other interested parties would not be obstructed by cars parked on both sides of the road around the pond. But Albion fans accused residents of dirty tricks by trying to make the area look more beautiful and less congested than it normally was. Mr Brier was also shown the damage to the envoronment that a stadium would cause, with the residents showing him a family of rare local bears who lived in the village. Upon closer inspection the bears turned out to be four unemployed members of Falmer Layabouts Against Planned Stadium (FLAPS), dressed in Womble outfits, desperately trying to clear litter from the pond, before Great Uncle Bulgaria downed a two litre bottle of White Lightning and crapped in his costume.
David Otway, director of Hove-based Woodcrafters Kitchens, was in the area to visit a nearby gym when he noticed the cones.
Mr Otway, who is a member of the Friends of the Albion group of businesses, said: "The residents are trying to make it look like a nice peaceful village.
"The inspector is coming through and the residents have said, let's put some bollards out'.
"I think the cones have scared people off. This is not a typical day.
"It is usually chock-a-block but you can drive through even when cars are parked on both sides of the road."
Falmer resident Sue Barnes said: "We are not trying to hide what the village normally looks like. We just wanted it to be clear for the site visit. The bus wouldn't have been able to get round because people park on both sides of the road.
"We have been advising students of other places where they may be able to park, such as the Varley Halls of Residence.
"We are always trying to highlight the problem and asking the universities to do something about keeping cars out of here."
Residents argue that Falmer is a sleepy village that would be gridlocked by overspill parking from the stadium.
The parish council is already locked in a battle to stop Brighton University students parking by the pond when the campus car parks are full.
Parish councillor Melanie Cuttress said: "The last inspector (John Collyer) walked around when all the cars were here and we put in photos to the inquiry showing all the cars.
"We've had a situation where an ambulance couldn't get through and oil deliveries couldn't get through for people to heat their homes."
Sergeant Mark Cranley, of Lewes Police, said: "We were requested by a parish councillor to put out the cones to allow the access and egress of the inspector. This was due to the recently increased volume of traffic within the village."
The public inquiry is likely to last at least four weeks.
At the request of Falmer Parish Council, Sussex Police put out about 20 traffic cones around Falmer pond before inspector David Brier visited the village and neighbouring land yesterday.
Mr Brier was taken on a tour of Albion's chosen site at Falmer and visited ten other sites suggested as alternatives for a stadium, ahead of a public inquiry which starts today.
Residents yesterday turned away students in cars as they tried to enter the village, near the site where Albion wants to build a 22,374-seat stadium.
The parish council said it was keen to make sure a bus carrying Mr Brier and other interested parties would not be obstructed by cars parked on both sides of the road around the pond. But Albion fans accused residents of dirty tricks by trying to make the area look more beautiful and less congested than it normally was. Mr Brier was also shown the damage to the envoronment that a stadium would cause, with the residents showing him a family of rare local bears who lived in the village. Upon closer inspection the bears turned out to be four unemployed members of Falmer Layabouts Against Planned Stadium (FLAPS), dressed in Womble outfits, desperately trying to clear litter from the pond, before Great Uncle Bulgaria downed a two litre bottle of White Lightning and crapped in his costume.
David Otway, director of Hove-based Woodcrafters Kitchens, was in the area to visit a nearby gym when he noticed the cones.
Mr Otway, who is a member of the Friends of the Albion group of businesses, said: "The residents are trying to make it look like a nice peaceful village.
"The inspector is coming through and the residents have said, let's put some bollards out'.
"I think the cones have scared people off. This is not a typical day.
"It is usually chock-a-block but you can drive through even when cars are parked on both sides of the road."
Falmer resident Sue Barnes said: "We are not trying to hide what the village normally looks like. We just wanted it to be clear for the site visit. The bus wouldn't have been able to get round because people park on both sides of the road.
"We have been advising students of other places where they may be able to park, such as the Varley Halls of Residence.
"We are always trying to highlight the problem and asking the universities to do something about keeping cars out of here."
Residents argue that Falmer is a sleepy village that would be gridlocked by overspill parking from the stadium.
The parish council is already locked in a battle to stop Brighton University students parking by the pond when the campus car parks are full.
Parish councillor Melanie Cuttress said: "The last inspector (John Collyer) walked around when all the cars were here and we put in photos to the inquiry showing all the cars.
"We've had a situation where an ambulance couldn't get through and oil deliveries couldn't get through for people to heat their homes."
Sergeant Mark Cranley, of Lewes Police, said: "We were requested by a parish councillor to put out the cones to allow the access and egress of the inspector. This was due to the recently increased volume of traffic within the village."
The public inquiry is likely to last at least four weeks.
dont undertsand is that on Match Days parking will be prohibited from the Village just like in surrounding areas at Withdean. It will be tighter as theres only a small area so less chance of fans parking there. But STILL they use that as an excuse...stupid 
