Councillors at West Devon Borough Council conditionally approved an application for the detailed designs of a new housing development near Okehampton last week.

The development, which will be situated to the west of Crediton Road, has been contentious and caused much debate during Okehampton Town and Okehampton Hamlets council meetings.

Both councils raised several concerns including the difficult access point to the estate and the proximity of the play area to a busy road and initially rejected the proposal.

However, after alterations to the proposal Okehampton Hamlets Parish Council issued a neutral response though Okehampton Town Council have continued to oppose the building of the site.

Okehampton Hamlets Parish Council chairman Brian Wood said: ‘We didn’t agree with it but we have no statutory powers to prevent it and houses do need to be built.’

Though parish councils must be consulted on every planning application in their area, they are only advisory bodies and borough councils have the right to override parish councils’ decisions.

As Tony Leech, ward councillor for Okehampton East, said: ‘A development on that site is inevitable, that it’s going to be happening, that it can’t be stopped at this late stage.’

Okehampton Hamlets Parish Council has still raised concerns that access to the site is on a busy narrow and steep road and has asked Devon Highways to review it. It is also concerned that the footpath crossing the main road is too dangerous and that the street lighting proposed will have a negative impact on the wildlife.

However it has granted conditional approval subject to the completion of ‘an association of deed variation’ meaning that the terms of the leasehold must be altered with the agreement of all parties.

The plans which were presented by David Wilson Homes propose the building of 89 two-storey open-market houses with 17 three-bedroom properties and 72 four-bedroom properties.