PLANS to build 24 homes in Coaley are to be reconsidered by Stroud District Council’s planning committee, despite being approved earlier this year.

Members of the committee gave the go-ahead for the development, which includes 14 affordable houses, at Betworthy Farm in March.

However, following “a neighbour’s” concerns about the impact the development could have on nearby listed buildings and on the landscape, the application has been returned to the council to be reconsidered.

The committee, at its meeting on Tuesday, is again being recommended to approve the development by council planning officers but its members have been asked to treat it as a new application.

Dozens of Coaley residents objected when the plans were initially submitted, with one saying that the decision to allow affordable housing “spells disaster” for many villages in the area.

In March, the committee voted four to two in favour of permitting the development with Cllr Jim Dewey (Green, Coaley and Uley) saying that a number of families would benefit from the new housing.

Speaking at the meeting, he said: “Families do want to stay in the village, I’ve talked to several families who have young children who would like them to be able to live in the village.

“These houses would help to support the school, church and village as a whole, however I will be pressing Severn Trent to make improvements to their current systems.”

A housing needs survey carried out in the village identified that 12 households were in housing need and the affordable homes the development would provide will be restricted to people who live in the area.

Concerns had been raised about the impact the development would have on views from Coaley Peak and from the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Cllr Dorcas Binns (Con, Minchinhampton), said: “I feel that this will have such a detrimental impact and damage the community and the character of Coaley.

“We have to protect our green fields at all costs and I do feel that the extended land west of this site will be built upon.

“I have grave concerns about the reasons for this development, if we had housing for our older people in this development then I could support it.”

A new decision on the application will be made at the meeting of the council’s development control committee on Tuesday.