Councillors have united to fight plans to build houses on an area of outstanding natural beauty on the Downs.

Officials from Horsham District Council joined colleagues from Adur District Council on the first day of a public inquiry to object to plans to transform an old cement works site at Upper Beeding, near Steyning.

The inquiry, due to last until the end of the month, will look at proposals from developers Callstone, which include building a business park, hotel, restaurant and 84 houses at the site.

Rhodri Price Lewis, QC, speaking for Horsham District Council, said any proposal to redevelop the cement works would have to provide environmental benefits, as stated in the district council Local Plan.

He told the inquiry: "The scale and type of the proposed development should be no more than is necessary to provide funding for the demolition of the buildings and to enable the appropriate landscaping works.

"What the policy is aiming at is the environmental enhancement of the area. The redevelopment should be enough to achieve it but no more."

He said the council had not received enough information on this and other areas in the application.

Adur District Council said it recognised the need to redevelop the long-derelict cement works but also wanted to see the area of outstanding natural beauty returned to its former splendour.

Its representative, Trevor Ward, said the council supported the business park but not the residential proposal.

The inquiry also heard West Sussex County councillors wanted to keep the land free so it could be considered as a location for storing waste, or for turning waste into energy, as part of the Waste Local Plan.

But planning authorities were branded "barren of ideas" by Callstone for criticising the bid.

Barrister Jonathan Clay, speaking for Callstone, said the county council's vision for the deserted site was even worse.

He said: "Although apparently barren of ideas themselves, the planning authorities have been creative in their objection to development of the site.

"The county council's vision is even more depressing. Do nothing, they say, for up to 15 years."

Mr Clay said developing the site, which has faced an uncertain future over the past 12 years, was in the national interest.

The inquiry, held at the Steyning Centre in Steyning, is expected to finish on April 30.

It was due to continue today.