Campaigners fighting plans for a £200 million sewage works were given a boost after councillors unanimously voted against the scheme.

Last night every member of Lewes District Council planning committee voted against plans for a wastewater treatment works and sludge recycling centre at Lower Hoddern Farm in Peacehaven.

The application, made by Southern Water, includes a seven mile underground tunnel from Black Rock in Brighton and pumping stations in Marine Drive, Roedean and Portobello at Telscombe Cliffs.

Although the district council does not have the power to grant or refuse planning permission for the scheme, its comments will go forward to East Sussex County Council which is meeting to discuss the application later this month.

Councillor Helen Livings summed up many people's concerns. She said: "This is a greenfield site on the edge of the drainage catchment area and an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There are several environmental health issues such as odour and traffic and I suspect this will furnish as much of the county as it can, we don't know where they will bring the waste in from."

Councillor Ralph Taylor proposed the committee should ask for East Sussex to reject the application rather than just passing on the comments and this was agreed by all councillors.

Speaking after the meeting, John Hodgson, spokesman for Peacehaven residents' group PROUD, said: "We are delighted with the decision. The councillors have really listened to what we have been saying.

"Three town councils and the district council have voted against this and there is only one more hurdle to go with the county council. We are not complacent, though, and we'll spend the next couple of weeks lobbying county councillors and preparing for that meeting."

Southern Water project director Richard Price said: "I am very pleased that the officers recognised the need for the scheme and the fact it has to go somewhere. We have been working with Lewes and East Sussex on this for years now so we knew the concerns."

Southern Water said the sewage works were necessary to improve water quality to meet new EU guidelines and that Lower Hoddern Farm is the most suitable site.

Lewes District Council has several concerns with the plans including the loss of a greenfield site and possible noise and odour. Councillors said Brighton and Hove, which creates most of the waste that would be treated, should be forced to take care of its own waste.