Hundreds of residents piled into a public consultation to voice their concerns over a housing development dubbed “outrageous”.

Lightwood Strategic’s plan to build up to 112 new houses in Ovingdean has been greeted with staunch opposition.

A group of residents led by Sue Ancell booked out the room adjacent to the public consultation at Longhill School as a place for attendees to sign a petition against the development.

She said: “The whole area does not want this build to ruin the little bit of countryside and greenery that we have.

“We don’t want to be linked with Brighton and Hove – it’s just not needed.

“And putting the building aside, the roads just simply won’t be able to cope.

“If these developers want to roll out these large-scale housing estates, they have to make sure the infrastructure is in place first and that just is not possible here.”

The developer wants to build family homes on a parcel of land off Ovingdean Road.

Phil Chichester, director of Lightwood Strategic, said: “We’re a transparent company and we want people to give us feedback.

“There is a significant shortage of family homes in Brighton and Hove and that’s what we will be providing.”

But locals have reacted angrily to the plan, saying the already-bottlenecked roads would not be able to cope with more traffic.

Karen Beaumont, 52, who lives in Ovingdean Road said: “Everything about it is just outrageous and I’m amazed we’re even talking about it.

“Our beautiful little hamlet will lose all of its character and will be ruined.”

Steve Geoghan, 51, of Court Farm Road, was disappointed by the lack of answers in the public consultation, which he described as “a complete waste of time”.

School places were a worry for Demi Abell, 25, who lives in Cowley Road. She fears the additional homes will put even more strain on the already stretched schools.

But the topic that dominated conversation was the extra traffic. Marc Stevens, 33, who lives in Wanderdown Road, said: “The road is already struggling and there is no way it’s going to be able to handle it.

“My fear is for my children crossing the road. It’s bad enough as it is – there is going to be a death soon.”