TWO beloved downland sites have been given a second reprieve at the eleventh hour.

Conservative and Green councillors have voted for a second delay on the sale of land at Plumpton Hill and Poynings calling for more information on the land sales and asking officers to explore alternative options.

Brighton and Hove City Council had proposed to sell the sites to help fund the restoration of Stanmer Park and

Labour councillors warned further delays would put the successful £3.8 million Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) bid in jeopardy.

The sales, which were initially halted before Christmas, will now be discussed by an urgent policy panel before coming back to committee for a final decision.

Campaigners had warned that the sale of either site would be a “dagger” through the council’s entire estate and lead to more widespread sales similar to neighbour Eastbourne - though council officers have said no further downs land sales are currently planned.

Officers said earlier this week the proposed sale of the council-owned Downland would not put the sites, which represent less than one per cent of the total estate, at risk.

But campaigners claim selling the land into private ownership could lead to a drop in public accessibility and land management.

The council is looking to raise the £1.42 million it needs towards the £5.8 million Stanmer Park restoration with the sale of the Poyning and Plumpton Hill sites raising £360,000 with just half of that going towards the lottery fund project.

The council had approved the biggest sell-off of council downland in more than 20 years in committee meetings in July 2014 and again in February and July this year but these two sites are being spared.

Labour's Gill Mitchell told the policy, resources and growth committee last night she had concerns about the HLF funds if there were further delays.

She said: "If there is further delay with the council stepping up with its percentage of its funding, I'm concerned about the timing of this in terms of the money coming through from the HLF and getting a decision in a review."

Green convenor Phelim MacCafferty said no councillors wished for further scrutiny to jeopardise the HLF bid but said there had been a failure to explore alternative Stanmer Masterplan funding "to the maximum".

Labour councillor Les Hamilton said the process was the most “peculiar” in his 45 years as a councillor with members challenging sales they had agreed to two years ago. 

Conservative group leader Geoffrey Theobald said it was important fears that the sale of the two small sites might be the beginning of wider sales needed to be "hit on the head".