ONE hundred and forty extra homes were given the green light at a planning meeting this week.

Campaigners were left reeling as proposals for three new developments - one in Falfield and two in Tytherington - were approved yesterday (Thursday).

Appeals on all three cases were heard by South Gloucestershire Councillors at a meeting of the Development Control Committee.

Before a packed meeting room at the Turnberries Centre in Thornbury, the committee voted in favour of 57 new homes in Tytherington, 28 off Duck Street, 29 off Stowell Hill Road, and 85 new homes in Falfield.

Ian Wherry of the Tytherington Action Group said: “It’s heart breaking, they’ve destroyed the village in two hours.

“They’ve just approved a 32 per cent increase in the size of Tytherington, which is entirely unsustainable.”

Falfield Parish Councillor Emma Jarvis said: “The planning committee refused an application for 115 homes on the same site in February, due to issues with the location. It was surprising that 10 months later they have done a U-turn and are now happy with the site.”

One woman, who did not wish to be named said: “I feel very sad for the villages in this area because they’re now being clobbered, just like Thornbury has been clobbered.

“I just want the planning people to be able to stop, assess what’s gone on, have a moratorium almost, because they’re making a mess everywhere now.”

For more reaction see next week’s Gazette.