PARISH councillors and residents in Uffculme have won the first stage of a battle against 40 new homes being built on fields on the edge of the village.

Mid Devon Council (MDC) has refused planning permission for a scheme proposed in November by Allison Homes South West Ltd.

The company wanted to develop 6.8 acres of agricultural land off Chapel Hill, near Uffculme School, and outside the village’s development boundary. It originally asked for 64 homes but reduced the number after concerns were raised that it would be an over-development of the site.

Now, MDC planning officer James Clements has used delegated powers to turn down the plan, saying the principle of it was unacceptable in a countryside location.

Mr Clements said the proposals also raised concerns over landscape impacts, design, layout, trees, traffic, surface water, and impacts on heritage assets.

About 70 letters of objection were received by the council from local residents, while and parish councillors in both Uffculme and Halberton also opposed the plans.

Allison Homes planning consultant Martin Bagshaw, of MHB Planning Ltd, said the proposals were for a mix of one to five-bedroom properties, including bungalows and 12 ‘affordable’ homes.

Mr Bagshaw said the developer wanted to ‘capture the character of the existing site’ and create an ‘attractive, quality development’.

The same design team had worked on two earlier developments in Uffculme Road on the other side of the village and therefore had a ‘sound insight into the character of Uffculme’.