A sewage works and a housing development should be built on brownfield sites, campaigners say.

People in Peacehaven are mounting a protest against Southern Water's bid for a waste treatment works at Lower Hoddern Farm and plans for 300 homes in the town.

They are calling on Lewes District Council to release a list of all the brownfield sites in the area which have not been built on.

The council has carried out an audit of brownfield sites, which has not yet been made public.

Peacehaven residents reacted angrily when Southern Water chose the town for its controversial £200 million wastewater treatment works and sludge recycling centre at Lower Hoddern Farm.

Many said their town would become "Poohaven" and claimed the works could damage property prices and create nasty smells.

The farm, owned by Colin and Graham Appleton on the north boundary of Peacehaven, was one of 66 sites under consideration.

Action group Proud (Peacehaven Opposed to Urban Development) is to be given a list of brownfield sites within Lewes by the district council after demanding to see a recent audit of the sites.

Hundreds of protesters have held meetings to discuss their battle tactics against both the sewage works and housing.

Plans for the extra homes have been announced for fields to the east of Peacehaven, close to the border with Newhaven, but these are not likely to go ahead for at least five years.

John Hodgson of Proud said: "There must be alternative sites. We have been promised a list of all brownfield sites by the council and we shall study them and find alternatives to building on fields and putting extra strain on the infrastructure."

Lewes District Council is preparing a list of sites to send to the residents but will not be making them public.

Brownfield sites, however, are unlikely to offer suitable land for Southern Water's sewage works.

Geoff Loader, head of communications at Southern Water said: "All we are doing at the moment, regarding our application to build at Lower Hoddern Farm, is getting together an environmental statement which will be part of our planning application.

"It will look at all environmental aspects, as well as traffic. We have not yet entered into detailed discussions with the farmer who owns the land.

"We have been in discussion with Lewes District Council and have come to our decision to put in an application for Lower Hoddern Farm after looking at 66 sites."