ANGRY villagers in Milverton have taken to the street with banners, placards, drums and whistles to protest against controversial plans to build on an ancient field.

The noisy demonstartion was orchestrated by action group Save Milverton, which distributed leaflets and canvassed every house in the village calling for all residents to "make a noise with whistles, drums and placards" outside the Victoria Rooms in Fore Street Thursday evening, where executives from Taunton Deane Borough Council planning department were holding a consultation meeting on long-term development plans in the area.

Villagers are up in arms over the council's decision to allow a new housing estate to be built on Creedwell Orchard, an ancient field of grade one agricultural land overlooking Milverton.

Bridgwater-based developers S Notaro want to build more than 100 houses based on permission going back to 1979.

See tomorrow's WWN for more