Moves to build two "ugly" blocks of flats along a notorious rat run were dumped by town planners.

Backed by a noisy public gallery, Worthing's planning committee voted against redevelopment of three houses in Charmandean Road, Worthing, yesterday.

More than 150 letters were sent to Worthing Borough Council objecting to the MJH Executive Homes scheme.

Despite developers making several changes to designs originally rejected in May this year, the committee decided demolishing the houses and building 21 two-bedroom flats would still be an overdevelopment.

People living nearby were worried about the area becoming too densely populated. They feared the redevelopment would be ugly and ruin the character of the street and increase accidents because of extra traffic.

Beeches Action Group, which played a crucial role in fending off recent plans for an 80-house development in Beeches Avenue, Worthing, wrote: "The density of traffic that uses Charmandean Road is out of proportion with the traffic it was intended to carry, mainly because it is a rat run from the A27.

"The development can only add to the hazards, congestion and potential danger."