FOLLOWING a two-hour debate councillors have agreed to grant permission for a 24-home development in Coaley.

The application was supported by Stroud District Council’s planning committee at its meeting on Tuesday which also approved the application in March.

Plans were brought back for reassessment by the committee due to concerns about the impact it would have on the Grade-2 listed farm building bordering the site.

However, the committee agreed, by a majority vote, to grant permission for the development which would also provide 14 affordable homes.

Supporting the development, Cllr Jim Dewey (Green, Coaley and Uley) said that the development would be “a positive thing” for the village.

“I know there have been a lot of objections to this development. I do understand the concerns and was in Coaley pretty recently.

“I spoke to the school and the [pupil] numbers are down, they have a number of spaces for children and these houses would hopefully provide for that.

“I believe that this is a positive thing for Coaley and believe that we should be replicating it right across the county.”

His motion was supported by five other committee members with three objecting.

Cllr Dorcas Binns (Con, Minchinhampton) raised concerns about the impact it would have on the character of the village.

Fellow Conservative councillor Nigel Cooper (Painswick and Upton) also voted against the motion saying he was “extremely sceptical” about reliance on a housing needs survey which identified 12 households in the village in need of affordable housing.