At a meeting at Sompting vicarage, councillors from Adur District Council, West Sussex County Council and Sompting Parish Council all pledged to fight the development, along with local MP Tim Loughton.

The meeting was held by the Save Our Sompting group, which is fighting the development plans.

East Worthing and Shoreham MP Mr Loughton said: "The proposal to build in the strategic gap and in Sompting's conservation area represents a massively inappropriate over-development.

"Residents around West Street have been battling with traffic congestion for years and this would exacerbate the problem and add insult to injury.

"The 35 houses proposed would dominate the landscape and be highly obtrusive for existing residents."

Big fight

He added: "I hope the developers will think again, otherwise they will have a big fight on their hands, as I have found no one who supports it."

Adur councillor for Peverel ward, Bryan Boggis, said: "A conservation area, like Sompting village, doesn't lend itself to development.

"The traffic problems are already appalling and this is only going to aggravate it."

Mr Boggis added that when Adur council had been asked to suggest land for development 18 months ago, the site of the proposed development in Sompting had not been included.

Opposition

Although the official plans have not yet been submitted, parish councillors agreed unanimously to oppose any development on the site two weeks ago.

It was argued the development would be in breach of the strategic gap and would put conservation of the area in danger.

Tim Clarke, chairman of the parish council planning sub-committee, said: "There are just so many reasons why this application should be refused.

"The A27 is already unable to cope with existing levels.

Foolish

"To allow a new development to disgorge even more cars during rush hour would be just plain foolish.

"There would also be a knock-on effect on West Street – a narrow village street which regularly has serious accidents.

"It is a miracle no one has been killed yet."

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