THE controversial sale of two downland sites has been dropped in the face of fierce public opposition.

Brighton and Hove City Council has decided against selling off sites at Poynings and Plumpton for £360,000 after months of campaigning.

Now opponents to the sale have called for greater public involvement in the management of council-owned rural sites.

The land sales, first agreed in 2014, would have part-funded the council’s contribution towards the £5.8 million restoration of Stanmer Park.

A review panel has reported Stanmer’s fundraising strategy is set to “over-achieve” its target - removing the pressing need for the land sales.

Campaigners said recent damage to an ancient woodland in Saddlescombe sold off by the council vindicated their opposition to the sale of more sites.

The cancelled sale is the second piece of good news for campaigners this month after Eastbourne Borough Council pulled plans to sell off downland farms for £30 million.

Campaigner Dave Bangs said: “There has been a huge failure of vigilance. What we need is a sea change, we need democratic input into the estate.

“We need to take away control from the commercially-minded council estate managers and their agents and put it into the hands of members of the public, dog walkers, horseriders, naturalists, hang gliders.

“If a national park is for the nation then it’s the nation that needs to be involved in its management.”

Sussex Wildlife Trust’s Phil Belden said warnings about a reduction in the management of sites were coming true with smaller sites sold by the council to private owners before public uproar ended the programme.

He said: “I’ve been past the Saddlescombe site and the ground has already been levelled and churned up and trees felled even though it’s on the ancient woodland inventory.

“The national park and planning are aware and sending in enforcement but this is exactly what we warned would happen.”

Green councillor Ollie Sykes said: “The Stanmer Park restoration is absolutely critical and we will have to find that additional funding from somewhere but in the context of the project it is not a large amount of money, it is only five per cent. “

A council spokeswoman said: “These heavily protected sites were due to be sold for continued agricultural use, not development. After reviewing the situation, a cross party policy review panel has taken the view that the sites should not be sold at this time.”

The panel will meet two more times before reporting back with recommendations to May’s policy, resources and growth committee.