A battle to defend West Sussex downland from the bulldozer has been won - but the war against greenfield development goes on.

Fields on the South Downs behind Beeches Avenue, Worthing, have been at the centre of a major development dispute which sparked banner-waving protests and determined lobbying of local and central government.

Building company Hargreaves Residential Developments was due to appeal in September against a Worthing Borough Council decision to refuse planning permission to put 90 homes on the fields.

Members of the Beeches Action Group (BAG) were today celebrating the developer's decision to withdraw the appeal.

Members of BAG had feared any development would wreck the beauty spot and cause serious traffic congestion at the Beeches Avenue's junction with the A27.

East Worthing MP Tim Loughton, who backed the group's lengthy campaign, said: "This is a very important decision and we are glad that Hargreaves appears to have taken notice of the strong local feeling against further development on the edge of the Downs which would have serious consequences for the quality of life in this already congested part of Worthing.

"The infrastructure just cannot stand this sort of development here and the Government's recent decision to drop all plans for a Worthing bypass would have made it virtually impossible for residents to get in or out of the new houses anyway.

"We are pleased that bringing pressure to bear by taking the resident's cause to Parliament and securing rather more robust objections from the Highways Agency on traffic grounds has paid off."

Mr Loughton had slammed the Hargreaves' application in a Commons debate, saying it would leave schools and GP surgeries in the area overcrowded.

In a letter to Worthing Borough Council announcing their withdrawn appeal, Hargreaves' planning consultants said the future of the land was uncertain because it may yet be encompassed by the proposed South Downs National Park boundary. Such a move would grant the site protection from development.

Beeches Avenue resident Peter Morris, 70, said he was "pleased as punch" at Hargreaves' decision.

He said: "There will always be another developer. Until the land is put into the national park, it's not safe."

Father-of-two Jason Brooke, 35, of Beeches Avenue, had been involved in BAG's fund raising efforts because the group was anticipating a costly legal battle.

He said: "Hargreaves withdrawing is excellent news. I've got children and they go for walks and cycle up there.

"More house would have caused congestion and spoiled the view."

Worthing borough Councillor Reg Green commended BAG's efforts to oppose the development.