DEVELOPERS behind a proposed 370-home site in Thornbury have appealed against South Gloucestershire Council’s failure to make a decision on their application.

Bovis Homes, which originally put forward plans to build 400 new properties behind the under-construction Thornbury Fields site, before reducing it to 370, has announced its intention to appeal after the council failed to make a ruling on the application in the necessary window of time.

As the latest in a series of proposed developments in Thornbury, resulting in a combined 1,500 prospective and approved new homes, the Bovis site received a great deal of opposition from residents and councillors, who claim the town’s infrastructure is already under considerable pressure.

Construction has begun on the Post Farm, Park Farm and Thornbury Fields developments. The Land West of Gloucester Road site has also been approved and an appeal has been submitted for the Cleve Park site.

Further debate came after it was suggested that the site’s approval could cause problems for plans to create a 3,000-home village in Buckover, on the outskirts of Thornbury, as the proximity of the homes to the new site could undermine the garden village concept.

A South Gloucestershire Council spokesman said that the failure to deliver a decision within the time frame was due to the complexity of the development and the amount of work required.

He added that a report would still need to be presented to the council’s development control (west) committee, outlining the decision they would have taken regarding the application, if it had remained in a position to do so.

A spokeswoman for Bovis Homes said that, now they have appealed the non-determination of the outline application, the matter lies with the Planning Inspectorate and that dates for an inquiry later in the year are expected to be issued in the coming weeks.

She said: “Our proposals include much needed affordable homes, as well as 28 acres of public green spaces, including a country park, lay areas and allotments.

“Jobs would be created for local people, and significant contributions would be made to the council to fund local infrastructure.”

Discussing the appeal at its meeting on Tuesday, Thornbury Town Council reiterated its concerns over the development and that it would continue to object to the proposals.