A children's holiday charity which plans to sell off donated land has had its development bid halted.

Trustees of the Londonbased Children's Country Holidays Fund announced plans to sell the Stafford House site in Hassocks in July.

The group submitted an application to build 30 homes on playing fields at the site, which was rejected by Mid Sussex District Council. And a later appeal to the planning inspectorate was also unsuccessful.

The Children's Country Holidays Fund, which uses Stafford House to provide activity holidays for disadvantaged children, did not pay for the land when it became the trustee in 2000.

It acquired the property when Stafford House trustees could no longer afford its upkeep.

The site was bought by philanthropist Edward Stafford in 1944 and gifted to East Sussex County Council for "the improvement of youth".

It includes the Hassocks library and Beacon Youth Centre, which are both leased to West Sussex County Council, along with playing fields and the residential, training and conference centre.

Hassocks Parish Council chairman Noel Thomas said it was likely the land would still be developed.

He said: "It's not impossible for developers to build there.

"It may even be that they sell the whole site, including the Beacon Centre and library.

"If this happens they will either sell it with or without planning permission to developers to build more flats there.

"The building is past its sellby date. It's not fit for purpose and it costs a fortune in upkeep.

"I can see they're in a pickle here and they are trying to maximise their own benefits.

I think there needs to be a meeting between the trustees and the county council to discuss what to do with the site to help the community.

"If they work together and the site is sold with planning permission, it's possible that the money generated could be used to relocate the library.

"We need to act now because in six months the window may have shut and five years down the line, when it is too late, people will say, Why didn't they do that?'"

The Children's Country Holidays Fund trustees were not available for comment but in a statement made earlier this year had said: "It was hoped that external bookings would provide funds for the increasing costs associated with Stafford House but this has not proved to be the case.

"The building could not attract the volume of bookings required due to the outdated accommodation and facilities.

"The sale of the site and the acquisition of another tailored to our requirements will enable the charity to provide its much-needed services in a safe and modern environment."