Plans for a multi-million pound extension to the Portobello sewage works at Telscombe Cliffs have been thrown out by the Government.

The decision follows a long public inquiry last year held after Southern Water appealed against East Sussex County Council's planning refusal for the extension.

Planning inspector Simon Gibbs recommended refusal on the grounds that the plans conflicted with the Government's stringent guidelines on building in protected areas of countryside and coastline.

Now Nick Raynsford, the Minister responsible for planning in the South of England, and the Environment Secretary John Prescott have both agreed with Mr Gibbs' appraisal.

Under the proposed £60 million extension to Southern Water's existing works, the beach at Telscombe Tye would have been lost under a concrete "factory on the beach".

The beach lies in a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Brighton Kemp Town MP Des Turner, a strong objector to the scheme, heralded the news as a triumph for the massive public campaign against the project.

He said: "I am delighted. I always felt this was not the right place for it and that Southern Water had got it wrong."

Now the water giant will have to decide what to do about improving the quality of water in the sea between Shoreham and Newhaven.

Earlier this week, the resort was criticised for having below-average quality of sea water.

But any plans will be likely to lead to another protracted row.

A site at Newhaven East close to the huge harbour arm emerged during the public inquiry as one of the options.

But today the Liberal Democrat Leader of East Sussex County Council David Rogers, who represents the town on the authority said: " Newhaven is sick and tired of being treated as a dump for other people's waste.

"First it was an incinerator and now it is Brighton and Hove's sewage. I am determined to campaign for Newhaven's future and against these threats."

Meanwhile in Telscombe there was joy at the result from Jean Talbot of the Campaign for Residents Against Portobello. "This is fantastic news. It has made all the work we have done to fight this monstrous scheme worthwhile".