Deputy prime minister, John Prescott, has announced that a public inquiry into proposals for a new stadium for Brighton and Hove football club at Falmer will be reopened.

The news comes as a blow for Brighton and Hove football club, which was hoping that the inquiry would stay closed and that the government would give the go-ahead for the 23,000-capacity stadium at the Falmer site, despite local opposition.

The initial stadium plans were supported by Brighton and Hove City Council and Sport England but were fiercely opposed by Lewes District Council, the Countryside Agency and local parish councils.

Consequently, the original public inquiry, held between 18 February and 23 October 2003, resulted in the planning inspector recommending that permission for a new stadium for Brighton and Hove Albion football club should be refused.

However, before the deputy prime minister reached his final decision over the plans, another inspector’s report – on the draft Brighton and Hove local plan – was published, offering alternative sites for the construction of the stadium.

After considering the new report, the deputy prime minister concluded that he must seek further evidence concerning the availability of alternative sites.