Hundreds of homeowners plan to march on Hove Town Hall when councillors decide whether to allow 112 new houses to be built on a playing field.

People living in the quiet suburbs of Withdean and Westdene in Brighton packed out a public meeting last night to agree the final stages of their campaign to stop the development.

More than 250 neighbours went to Westdene Primary School with standing room only for 50 late arrivals.

The battle to stop the development of affordable housing by Sussex Overseas Housing Society on a greenfield site has galvanised the community.

Members want to protect the site, owned by Braybon.

A playing field for more than 50 years, the overgrown space now has signs preventing its use.

Residents say the area, which does not have a doctor and already buses some children out to other schools as Westdene Primary is full, cannot take another 100 homes.

The newly-formed campaign group Westdene and Withdean Community Association has put together a 32-page report objecting to the planning application.

It is expected to go before Brighton and Hove City Council's planning committee at Hove Town Hall on September 24.

Architect and committee member Ron Guy said: "We will not continue to be dumped on. We've been dumped on with the Albion stadium, but not any more.

"I've lived here for 40 years. My children played on the site and I want to protect it for my grandchildren."

Mark Bannister, 32, a senior manager for an international reinsurance firm, said: "We're not against building low-cost housing but it's a case of building it in the right place.

"If the homes go ahead, the company has to provide another site accessible to local people.

"They are proposing one in Happy Valley, Woodingdean, four miles away. It's not acceptable."

Association chairman Mike Whitty said residents would march to the meeting and asked for support.

He said: "The most important thing is for people to attend the public gallery and show we care. The applicants had at least seven months to put their proposal together. We had 21 days.

"We've had two public meetings, formed the association, taken photographs of derelict buildings in the city and the traffic congestion here, handed out leaflets and questionnaires and started a petition."

He told the crowd the association had become members of the National Playing Fields Association, which would back their bid to keep the green area.

Dave Nealer, 56, of Valley Drive, said: "I think they've done a brilliant job. It was a very professional meeting. They've put in a lot of work and we support them every step."

A previous scheme for 45 executive homes was laid to rest after a huge protest.

An appeal by developers Sunley Estates resulted in a public inquiry but Stephen Byers, then in charge of local government, came down on the side of the council, saying it did not justify tearing up a greenfield site.