ANGRY residents packed a public meeting in Northlew last week, to condemn plans to build 26 new homes in the village.

The application by Sunnybanks Homes, is to erect 18 bungalows, six flats and two terraced houses on the site at Kimberlands. Six of the homes would be classed as affordable housing, available on a shared ownership scheme or at a pegged rent. There was also a small play area for children.

But villagers who crowded into the Victory Hall claimed the application would result in intolerable traffic pressures on the narrow approach roads to the village.

Denise Van Looy said: ?It?s compromising the safety of the village, it?s abhorrent, they are going to put people?s lives at risk.

?Every morning you play cat and mouse with the coaches and the haulage company lorries ? there?s going to be a fatality on these roads.?

Ms Van Looy said villagers had objected to the land at Kimberlands being earmarked for development in the local plan because of the safety aspects ? but to no avail.

Resident Jim Jevons said: ?I can?t see any provision for parking ? what?s going to happen for parking for 40 or 50 cars??

Mandy Drydon was concerned about the type of housing being proposed. ?Why flats in a village?? she asked.

A vote at the meeting supported a motion to ask Sunnybanks to build houses, as opposed to flats.

Graham Mansbridge wanted to know if local people would take priority when applying for affordable homes, and if they would be kept for them in perpetuity. He also asked if local labour would be used during construction.

Jane Turner was concerned the proposed play area was next to a sewage pumping station.

?Isn?t that unsafe?? she asked. She was also concerned that villagers were already trying to raise funds for the existing playing field in Northlew and said the project could be compromised by a new play area.

A resident asked Sunnybanks planning director Graham Clark what the company planned to do about a strip of land relating to the access to the development area.

Mr Clark said Sunnybanks? lawyers were ?totally satisfied? the company had all the necessary rights to develop the land and the company had ?no interest? in developing any further than the present application.

He said he understood residents? concerns about additional traffic around Northlew ? which was investigated by the inspector during the review of the current draft local plan.

?He felt the highway was adequate ? that?s an independent inspector?s view,? said Mr Clark.

He said that according to Government requirements, the density of properties being proposed for the site was the minimum his company could build, with each bungalow having a garage and driveway. A car parking area was being provided for the other properties.

He said: ?If you don?t want flats, we can change them to houses ? I?m happy to commit to that, if that?s the wish of the meeting.?

Mr Clark said the new £80,000 sewage treatment system to be built by Sunnybanks would be ?absolutely? childproof ? he said his company would be happy to talk to residents about supporting alternative play areas in the village if that was their wish.

As far as the affordable housing element of the scheme was concerned, he said it would be Sunnybanks? wish that people within the parish should take priority, although that was subject to negotiation with West Devon Borough Council.

The homes would be available in perpetuity to these parishioners ? local people would also be sought for sub-contracting work while construction was underway.

He said the company would work with local people to try and reduce the impact of heavy goods vehicles on the village while the houses were being built ? but he had no control over general highways matters.

West Devon planning officer Ann Garfield said the remainder of the site at Kimberlands was outside the development boundary for Northlew, so there could be no more development in the area until at least 2011, when the new local plan expires.

The consultation period has now expired, although any further representations would be reported to the planning committee when it considers the application. She could not give a date as the Times went to press.

Sunnybanks recently won an award for a development at Lewdown,