THE Catholic community on the Waterside is searching for a new site for a £4m church after its original plans were thrown out.

The New Forest National Park Authority (NPA) rejected plans to build the eye-catching super church in the grounds of a derelict hotel less than a mile from the centre of Hythe because it fell foul of planning policy.

Now church leaders have reluctantly ruled out an appeal which could cost up to £100,000.

Peter Mitchell, chairman of the parish pastoral council, said the church was still needed and a search for a site in an urban area would begin.

"In essence the rationale and business plan remain valid," he said. "We are confident that it will be possible for our architects to transfer their exciting design, though perhaps with modifications, to a new site."

The church and a pastoral centre for community use was to be built behind the ruins of the West Cliff Hotel off West Street. The scheme designed by award-winning architects and featured impressive 30m spires.

It was intended to replace the crumbling St Michael's Church in Hythe and the smaller St Bernard's Church in Holbury.

Mr Mitchell admitted the search was likely to take "some time" but he added: "We remain dedicated to bringing this plan to fruition."

Former parish priest Father Ray Lyons who was the driving force behind the scheme, repeated his frustration at the decision by the NPA.

He accused them of taking an overly conservationist approach. He said the parish had spent ten years in a costly and exhaustive search, considering at least 21 sites, before finding the plot of land owned by Associated British Ports.

"I just do not know where we can go from here," he said.

A narrow majority of members of the NPA planning committee refused the church scheme over fears of insufficient parking and because it involved an intrusive new building which would detract from landscape known as the "strategic gap" which separates the countryside from urban areas of Hythe.