PEOPLE in Frampton Cotterell have been left ‘appalled’ after housing developer Barratt Homes won an appeal to build more than 200 homes in the village.

Local residents and councillors campaigned vigorously against the plans for 220 houses, offices and a shop at Windmill Green and won the backing of South Gloucestershire Council which threw out the plans last December.

But at a public inquiry last week, the council’s decision was overturned and Barratts were given permission to begin constructing the housing development.

Cllr Pat Hockey (Lib Dem, Frampton Cotterell), who led the fight against the plans, said: "I am appalled at this decision, which completely disregards the views of local people. The Government is allowing developers to ride roughshod over the needs of our local communities, vandalising the countryside and turning villages into dormitory towns.

"Hundreds of people made it clear that this development was unwanted but that counted for nothing against Government demands for thousands of new homes to be built. "

She added: "This is very bad news for Frampton Cotterell."

Cllr Mike Thomas (Lib Dem, Bitton) said a Government directive to build 33,000 homes in the district by 2026, which has not yet been formally adopted under the Regional Spatial Strategy (RSS), was already being cited by developers who want to build in South Gloucestershire.

He said: "We are going to be under increasing pressure to defend our land, particularly our green belt land."

Cllr Brian Allinson, executive member of planning, transportation and the strategic environment, said: "We are very disappointed with the outcome of the appeal and we are particularly concerned about the weight the inspector seems to be attaching to the RSS.

"We are certainly reading through the decision very carefully and considering what further actions are available to us. This will have considerable impact on how we deal with things in the future."

People living in St Saviour’s Rise and Heather Avenue, which is directly next to Windmill Green, say the area will be turned into a mini-Bradley Stoke.

Father-of-two Matthew Walters said: "The biggest patch of green space we have in Frampton Cotterell will disappear.

"This community is opposed to any more development and I am concerned about the erosion of the countryside."

Barratt Homes bought the farm land a decade ago with plans for three stages of housebuilding totalling more than 600 homes. The first phase, St Saviour’s Rise and Kelbra Crescent, were completed 10 years ago and this latest application would see stage two finished. The company then wants to build another 200 homes on adjacent green fields.

The company said it could not comment on the Windmill Green inquiry as plans for the site were still being finalised.