A man today dubbed council planners "pathetic" after they refused to let him put a permanent beacon on the Downs to mark the Queen's Golden Jubilee.

Banker Peter Gossage, 53, wanted to place an 18ft oak post and brazier at Mount Harry, near Lewes.

It was one of the sites where a beacon burned in 1588 to warn of the Spanish Armada and to celebrate its defeat.

But Lewes District Council planners last night narrowly rejected the plan, saying it would look out of place in the area of outstanding natural beauty.

Councillors also agreed with planning officers that granting approval could possibly lead to scores of applications for mobile phone masts.

Father-of-two Mr Gossage, from East Chiltington, near Lewes, today insisted the authority's decision was "pathetic" after the chairman's casting vote was used to reject the plan.

He said: "They talked about my application as a development but I said, 'Come on, it's only a post, not a block of flats'.

"I put a lot of work into the plan, six months in total, plus a lot of money. But I felt the die-hards of this world were set against it from the start. They didn't even listen to the arguments put forward."

Mr Gossage, vice-chairman of East Chiltington Parish Council, had wanted a permanent beacon and turned down council suggestions for it to stand temporarily.

He said: "Part of the reason for having the beacon up was for its educational value. It would lose its educational value if it was up there merely part of the time.

"I'm not sure whether I will appeal. I'm not a rich man plus the jubilee is coming fast so I'm not sure whether we could get it through it time."

Anna Appleton, Lib Dem councillor for Kingston ward, said: "We were all for it, actually.

"Had he just wanted to put a permanent base down and erect the beacon when necessary, then I think we all would have agreed.

"But we felt by having this up permanently it would clutter our countryside."

Planning officer Andrew Hill said: "Our main consideration is the impact this oak post and brazier would have as a permanent structure on top of the Downs.

"We have told the applicant we have no problem with it being there on a temporary basis but he is unwilling to agree to this.

"As there is no difference in planning terms between one post and another this would open the door to further applications in this area of outstanding natural beauty, such as for mobile phone masts."