More than 200 protesters joined a windswept countryside rally against plans for a major housing development.

Football pundit Jimmy Hill and actresses Greta Scacchi and Judy Parfitt joined MP Howard Flight and local councillors on farmland to the west of Burgess Hill which could be covered by 3,500 homes and 500,000sqm of business space.

The West Burgess Hill Company wants to build on 460 acres of what it describes as "low grade agricultural land".

Mr Hill, who lives in Hurstpierpoint, blasted "the pure, simple greed" of developers and people prepared to sell their land at "vastly inflated" prices.

He said: "The motivation for this scheme doesn't come from people who don't have homes. It comes from builders and people who own the land who are being paid ridiculous sums of money."

Mr Hill, who was joined by his wife Bryony, received a warm response as he called on residents to oppose the plans.

He added: "It's simple Sussex people, the vast body of those who are here today, who can stand up to keep England a green and pleasant land."

Arundel and South Downs Tory MP Mr Flight praised the rally's turnout.

He said: "What I find extraordinary is that planners should be proposing something which is against all the Government guidelines - it's unsustainable, it's an area prone to flooding and there is no proper infrastructure in terms of schools, transport and hospitals."

Mr Flight urged residents to write to West Sussex County Council, which is backing the development, to voice their anger.

Rally organiser Christopher Maidment told campaigners: "You are not eco-warriors. I don't see long bedraggled hair, dirt coming out of your ears and swinging from trees.

"You look like normal people who don't want their countryside destroyed. It's time for you to go out and tell people to oppose this."

Protester Peter Griffiths, a telecommunications expert from Malthouse Lane, Hurstpierpoint, said: "We're here because we don't believe Burgess Hill should be built up any more. It's that simple."

Retired teacher Eileen Gautrey, of Barnside Avenue, Burgess Hill, said: "We just feel we have had enough urban sprawl and have to protect what countryside is left."

Former air hostess Yvonne Baker, of Ockley Lane, Keymer, said: "Burgess Hill has had enough development and there isn't the infrastructure for any more."

Martin Wilkes, a director of the West Burgess Hill Company, denied the scheme was motivated by greed.

He said: "The vast majority of the money generated goes back into investment in transport, the environment, health and all the other facilities that make our development work."

Mr Wilkes said 40 per cent of the project would be affordable housing, with 20 per cent rented property for low-income families. A new sixth form college, health centre and transport links were all being looked at for the area, he said.