Councillors have rejected proposals to build 85 homes on green fields over concerns about the "devastation" of an important ecological site.

Members of Brighton and Hove City Council planning committee voted this afternoon to reject the plans for the proposed development on land south of Ovingdean Road.

Plans drawn up by developers Pegasus Planning Group and Lightwood Strategic  had been amended from 100 homes to 85 with an increased “open space buffer” from 35 metres to 59 metres along Falmer Road.

The plans included proposals for 71 homes and 14 apartments with 40% of properties designated affordable housing and eight aged restricted flats for over 60 residents on the council housing waiting list.

But the proposals had been met with strong local opposition with more than 600 letters of objection and a well-supported Save Our Deans campaign founded.

Councillors followed the advice of council officers who had recommended refusal of the plans in part for the failing of developers to correctly assess the ecological value of the site which is home to slow worms, lizards and plants.

Concerns were also raised about the impact on air pollution from an increase in car journeys to and from the new development around Rottingdean where EU air quality limits were already being breached.