RESIDENTS in Northlew have welcomed a decision by the Local Government Ombudsman to investigate a complaint about West Devon Borough Council?s handling of a planning application. Last May, the council granted planning permission to developers Sunnybanks Homes to build 25 new houses on land to the north at Kimberlands in the village. The ombudsman will investigate allegations by an action group of local residents that the council failed adequately to notify affected applicants, failed to address and research all the objections lodged, that planning permission was granted contrary to planning policy guidance, the Northlew Development Brief and the 1997 Local Plan and failed to explain its complaints handling procedure.
