RESIDENTS facing the prospect of their village on the outskirts of Exeter almost doubling in size, are claiming a minor victory after plans for almost 100 homes were rejected.
Planning permission has already been granted for a development of 80 houses and 17 apartments in Clyst St Mary, a village of around 500 homes.
Residents recently united to form the Save Clyst St Mary campaign group to fight combined plans for more than 400 houses and two major solar farms on the outskirts of the village.
The group is now breathing a small sigh of relief at the news that plans for 93 houses on land near the Cat and the Fiddle pub off the A3052, have been refused by East Devon District Council officials.
But the group is still vowing to fight proposals for 304 houses at Winslade Park and 40 homes on land behind the football field off Clyst Valley Road which, unusually, requires the demolition of a house to create an access point to the site.
The group, with support from district councillor Mike Howe, is now looking forward to discussing their concerns about what they perceive to be "over-development" with East Devon MP Hugo Swire at a public meeting on Thursday, February 19.
Ultimately, the group wants Mr Swire to inform the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Conservative MP Eric Pickles of how small communities like Clyst St Mary are becoming swallowed up by development.
Group member Gaeron Kayley, said what is happening in their village is indicative of what is happening all around the country as a result of the Government's controversial National Planning Policy Framework, which favours sustainable development, in the absence of local authorities' establishing their own Local Plans, which set out development parameters.
In East Devon District Council's Local Plan, which sets out where thousands of homes could be built across the district in the coming years, but which is delayed, Clyst St Mary was earmarked for five per cent growth.
"Since the first applications totaling almost 100 homes were approved last year the applications have been coming one after the other," he said.
"If that development and all the others get approved, Clyst St Mary would increase by around 125 per cent."
He added: "Although residents live in three areas, at Winslade Park, the old village and near the Cat and the Fiddle, we've united to fight these proposals.
"The countryside that surrounded the area is beautiful and has so much wildlife, and people moved there because of that, but 93 homes would have taken all of that away.
"It's magnificent that, as a result of us working together to support each other, we've made it happen.
"And we hope that this is the start of a few more successes."
