ANXIOUS Okehampton residents have come together to fight a planning application to create six new luxury executive homes which they say breaches the spirit of the local plan. The application for six homes on greenfield land to the north of Upcott Valley has been submitted to West Devon Borough Council by Barnstaple-based Pearce Construction. More than 30 residents gathered at a meeting recently to express their concerns about the proposal, which would see a mix of two and three-storey, luxury five-bedroom accommodation with double and triple garages. Local resident Brian Varrall said: ?There is a lot of disquiet at the thought of this proposed development. ?It was the consensus amongst the meeting that it was confounding the spirit of the local plan which is put there as a protection for the whole community. It is the only line of defence against profligate development.? Mr Varrall claimed the plans extended beyond the boundaries of the existing area identified for development in the local plan. He said: ?It is giving entirely the wrong signal to developers, so that their understanding of working with a local plan is that it is just a rough plan?. Mr Varrall said when he moved to Okehampton two years ago, he was fully aware the land was designated for development, but that he believed any application would have to ?fit the area exactly, not loosely?. Residents have a number of other objections to the proposals, including the potential risk of flooding, the existence of tree preservation orders and access to properties. Resident Phil Nightingale, who chaired the residents? meeting, said the site was ?such a lovely area,? but said the land was ?marshy? in places. He said there were strong feelings about the proposals ? a petition with around 50 signatures would be presented to the borough council?s planning committee. Mr Nightingale said he was concerned about the impact on wildlife, including badgers and birds. A badger survey has already been carried out at the site which found two setts nearby. The trees on the site, which include a number of mature oaks, elm and elders, are the subject of Tree Preservation Orders made in 1990. Mr Nightingale said residents would also be pressing for a site visit for planning committee members to see the area for themselves. Cllr Ken Williams, who represents Okehampton West ward said: ?I very much regret the fact that when the local plan crossed the Upcott Brook, it was crossing the Rubicon, because it is a special little marshland area. I think the character of that part of Okehampton should have been preserved.? Okehampton Town Council?s planning committee registered no objection to the proposals earlier this month. Pearce Construction told the Times it could not comment on the Upcott development. But following concerns expressed by residents, West Devon Borough Council planning officer Ann Garfield said the developers have asked that the application be deferred for a month. Ms Garfield said the deferral will allow further investigations to take place regarding the development boundary. She said the site already had outline planning permission ? it would be up to the developers to create a drainage plan for the ground.The borough landscape officer was also working closely with developers regarding the site.