AN over-congested road, lack of play areas and the need for a new school were all issues raised by district councillors in Okehampton as another large housing development for the town was approved last week.
West Devon Borough Council's planning committee granted full planning permission to Persimmon Homes of Exeter for the construction of 95 dwellings on land at Laburnum.
Council officers originally requested 20 per cent of the development to be affordable housing which would have equated to 19 units but settled for five when they were offered less housing at a bigger discount.
Housing officer Marion Playle said the developer contributed in excess of £200,000 towards the affordable housing element of the scheme.
The scheme includes a mix of dwellings including 50 detached homes, terraced properties, semi-detached homes and bungalows.
The application was not supported by Okehampton Town Council because of a lack of amenity space, necessary improvements for sewage and water dispersal and inadequate visibility from the access onto Exeter Road.
The planning meeting was told last week that no formal play areas or open space were proposed as part of the plan but there were two small areas which could be utilised for that purpose. Officers made it a condition to agree details of the management of an open space area if permission was granted.
Twelve letters of objection were submitted by local residents who raised numerous concerns over lack of employment and shopping facilities, remoteness from the primary school and too much new housing development in general.
Principle planning officer Chris Watson said additional discussions had taken place with local residents since the plan was amended to provide a more interesting form of development in terms of layout, retention of trees and other features and no further objections had been
Cllr Jayne Hill from Okehampton said the new homes would mean almost 200 more cars using Exeter Road where queues already formed at certain times of day.
'I also have grave concerns about the vague comments regarding an open space area for children,' she said. 'All the other estates being built lack provision for children and the majority of the homes are being occupied by families.'
Cllr Joan Pauley reiterated Cllr Hill's fears and said she was particularly worried about where all the extra children were going to go to school: 'The primary school is overcrowded now,' she said.
A previous scheme by Persimmon Homes was refused last year partly on sewage embargo grounds but officers said this reason was no longer valid given that South West Water had confirmed that improvements to the Okehampton Sewage Treatment Works were imminent.