Angry Worthing residents gathered to protest against plans to build an estate of 90 houses on the Downs.

More than 100 people living in the Beeches Avenue and Pines Avenue met at Downlands pub last night to vent their fury at the proposed development in nearby fields.

They fear the recommendations made by an inspector's report into the Worthing Local Plan will cause traffic chaos and ruin the countryside.

Worthing councillors Simon Craghill and Reg Green and West Sussex county councillor Colin O'Neill advised homeowners on how they could oppose the development.

Meeting organiser Terry O'Connolly, who has lived in Beeches Avenue for three years, said: "Living here is like paradise. The area is quiet and there is little pollution. But if 90 houses were built nearby it would ruin everything.

"It would have a terrible effect on the wildlife and would make the A27 bottleneck unbearable.

"I have had a massive response since I organised the meeting. I have had grown men crying down the phone and telling me it would destroy everything they had worked for."

She told the meeting: "We must take a stand, not just for us, but for our grandchildren. We cannot let future generations be deprived of the pleasure of enjoying the Downs."

The green space north of the Beeches Avenue cul-de-sac is the gateway to the Downs while to the south lies the busy A27 Upper Brighton Road. It is just yards from an Area of Outstanding Beauty.

Clifford Loveland, 64, who is retired and has lived in Pines Avenue for three years, said: "It may not be classed as an Area of Outstanding Beauty but it is one to me. It is the last bit of Downland near to Worthing centre and should be protected.

Betty Smith, 69, moved from Hove to Pines Avenue four years ago because she wanted to be near the countryside.

She said: "My house looks directly onto the Downs. I open my gate and am in the most beautiful area. If the plans went ahead I would be devastated and may move. The roads can't cope with the traffic now so goodness knows what it would be like with 90 more houses.

Other residents described how their gardens were regularly visited by badgers, foxes and hedgehogs.

Alan Crook, who has lived in Pines Avenue for 20 years, said: "Every night I see wildlife in my garden. The plans are absolute stupidity. We must stop the plans for the sake of the animals and our grandchildren."

Jean Willis, of Mid Sussex Badger Protection Group, said: "I had a look round the area and saw much evidence of badgers living there. The development would definitely disrupt their habitat."

The plans were part of an independent inspector's report which looked into Worthing Borough Council's Local Plan for the next five years.

It suggested development north of Beeches Avenue to reduce the number of houses proposed in the local plan for the West Durrington area from 825 to about 700.

Environment Secretary Margaret Beckett would intervene if the council did not have a very good reason for failing to implement the inspector's plans.

Council planning policy manager Clare Mangan said: "We are not legally obliged to follow the recommendations but we must have very strong justification for doing not doing so.

Council planners will report to the executive member for housing and planning strategy on March 7.

Residents will have six weeks to make their views known during a public consultation in May or June.