Residents battling to stop 90 homes being built on a meadow in Burgess Hill have delivered leaflets to 1,500 homes to gather support for their campaign.

The greenfield site in Folders Lane is used for grazing horses and campaigners say the area would be wrecked by the proposed development.

Mid Sussex District Council received 371 objections to the bid by Westbury Homes Ltd.

The application was rejected by the South Area planning committee last month but the developers have appealed and the final decision will be made by Government planning inspectors this autumn.

The deadline for objections from the public is June 26 and members of Folders Meadow Action Group hope other residents in Burgess Hill will write to the Planning Inspectorate backing their campaign.

Group member and district councillor Andrew Barrett-Miles, who lives in Birchwood Grove opposite the site, said: "It's been a mammoth effort but we are determined to win. The campaign has the support of the district and town councils and MP Nicholas Soames."

The group says the town cannot sustain any more large developments.

Mr Barrett-Miles said: "The town lacks the infrastructure. We don't have enough schools or doctors.

"There is also a problem with sewerage and water supplies. The meadow has problems with surface drainage."

Governors of Birchwood Grove County Primary School and Newick House School also object to the development because they say they could not take an extra influx of pupils and additional traffic would be dangerous.