Campaigners fighting a planned £200 million sewage works dubbed "Poohaven" have welcomed a report by planning officers which recommends councillors throw the application out.

Southern Water plans to build a £200 million plant in Peacehaven and a sevenmile underground tunnel which would transport sewage from Black Rock in Brighton. It also includes pumping stations at marine Drive in Roedean and Portobello at Telscombe Cliffs.

Members of Lewes District Council's planning committee will discuss the controversial application at a meeting on Wednesday. Planning officers will present a 24-page report to councillors about the proposals.

Lewes District Council is not the authority with the power to grant planning permission for the scheme - that falls to East Sussex County Council - but the district council can make recommendations to the county council.

The officers have highlighted in the report that the proposed works at Portobello are within areas designated as countryside.

Portobello is also within the designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

"There is also concern about part of the works falling within an area of Special Scientific Interest between Newhaven Cliffs and Brighton. The sewage works would also take away land which the district council had earmarked for Peacehaven for recreation, including football pitches.

The South Downs Society is also objecting to the proposal. The report states: "The South Downs Society objects on the grounds that the Lower Hoddern Farm site is designated as countryside and is visible from the AONB/proposed National Park, is close to residential areas, and that there is potential for odour emissions to impact on the AONB/National Park as well the residential areas."

One key aspect of the report is how Southern Water made the decision to choose Lower Hoddern Farm. It states:

"The Lower Hoddern Farm site is greenfield and is relatively remote from, and on the edge of, the main source of wastewater generated from the Brighton and Hove conurbation. These points are considered by officers to be of considerable weight in site selection, given that the use of brownfield rather than greenfield land for new development is a primary sustainability principle."

The report also highlights that Brighton and Hove's sewage is being dumped on Peacehaven: "The Brighton and Hove community should take responsibility for its own waste."

Peacehaven Town Council has already recommended that the plant is refused permission as has Telscombe Town Council and Newhaven Town Council.