Controversial plans for Brighton Marina have been thrown out by councillors but the developer has vowed to appeal against the decision.

Yesterday, Brighton and Hove City Council’s planning committee voted 9-3 against the bid to build more than 1,300 flats and shops on the western edge of the site.

The scheme had been endorsed by the council’s planning officers and the cost of fighting the appeal, which the developers plan to lodge with the Planning Inspectorate, is likely to cost the city’s taxpayers hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Last night protesters celebrated a muted victory.

Peter Martin, chairman of the Brighton Marina Residents’ Association, said: “We fully appreciate that this is just the first skirmish in the battle.

“We are not against development. We are for appropriate development at the marina.

“We hope now that the developers will go away and seriously consider what is appropriate for the area.”

But the developer said its scheme was right for the site.

Jim Dennis, project leader for the developer Laing O’Rourke, said: “I’m bitterly disappointed. The decision, which had the backing of the council’s officers, needed courage and leadership. But that didn’t happen. We are going to appeal.”

The public gallery was packed for the five-hour meeting. Objectors and the developer argued their cases articulately and with vigour.

In the end it was the scale and density of the housing which proved too much for the committee’s members.

After turning down their officers’ endorsement of the project, the committee then laid out a long list of the reasons for refusing planning permission.

These included the size of the buildings, the loss of cliff views and the risk of flooding.

There were cheers and applause from the public gallery as the result was confirmed.

After the meeting, Councillor Gill Mitchell, leader of the Labour group, said: “It is immensely depressing that a site that has so much to offer, in terms of boosting the city’s economy with much-needed jobs and housing, is no further forward.”

Amy Kennedy, a Green councillor on the planning committee, said: “Clearly the marina needs some sort of regeneration but gross overdevelopment isn’t the way forward.”

Six Tory and three Green councillors voted against the application. Three Labour councillors voted in favour of it.