Environmental campaigners have hailed a victory for people power after controversial plans to build almost 1,200 homes on green spaces in Brighton and Hove were put on hold.

Councillors were yesterday due to discuss the proposals and agree to launch a public consultation on the amendments to the City Plan which lays out the amount of housing required up to 2030.

But the talks have been pushed back until the autumn to allow more time for discussions.

Campaigners gathered outside the Hove Town Hall prior to the meeting with placards reading “save our green havens” and “hands off our parks”.

The Argus understands that Labour and Conservative opposition councillors were set to oppose the proposals to put the amendments out to a nine week public consultation starting on July 25.

Under the amended plans, 250 homes are pencilled in for land off Mile Oak Road in Portslade, 150 homes would be accommodated south of Warren Road near Brighton Racecourse and 140 homes on land north of Coldean Lane.

The proposed 39 sites for extra housing to be included in the City Plan were identified in a council-commissioned report after an independent inspector called on the council to accommodate more housing on urban fringes in the city.

The council is under pressure to meet this request because if the City Plan is not agreed, planning decisions will be governed by the National Planning Policy Framework which critics argue works in favour of developers.

Chris Todd, of Brighton and Hove Friends of the Earth, has been a strong opponent of the new plans since they were made public last week.

He said: “I think it’s a great result and will give everybody time for further reflection and to look again at what is being proposed.

“We have got to find more housing and we are not opposed to housing outright but it can’t be housing at any costs.

“We need to get this right and we need to have the community with this, we can’t railroad this through.

“I think the council did not want to be pushed down this path but they feel they have been left with no other choice.”

Martin Randall head of planning and public protection at Brighton and Hove City Council said: "The City Plan has been deferred for further consideration.”