CARHAMPTON Parish Council has called on West Somerset planners to take action against the developers of a new housing estate on the outskirts of the village.

They claim there have been breaches of conditions that were imposed on the site north of Church Lane.

Councillors unanimously backed the concerns of nearby residents who attended an extraordinary meeting of the council at the village hall last Monday (August 6).

The council has also objected to the developers’ application to change the window and door surrounds and edging of each of the properties from stone to brick.

In a letter to the planners, they say: “Local residents had not objected to the original proposal for a total of four dwellings on this site since its design had been in keeping with the local area and especially in keeping with the neighbouring Grade 1 listed St John the Baptist church.

“The high sustainability standard of the development, as detailed in the original planning application, was assured by the use of locally sourced natural materials – stones.”

“The council is distressed to see that the applications now before the district council substantially reduce that high standard and, as such, has resulted in objections from those living in close proximity to the development.”

The letter adds: “By using bricks rather than natural and locally sourced materials, the aesthetic quality of the proposal would so dilute the quality of the development as to render it inappropriate in its surroundings.”

Resident Jack Hyde said lowering standards meant the site “had the potential to become a slum”. He also said that drainage works had not been carried out in accordance with one of the conditions.

Site owners Ware Developments gained planning permission for four houses, in a courtyard setting, in 2015 and won approval for an additional house in January this year. They also have permission to replace two semi-detached dwellings with two detached houses.

Several members of the public at the meeting expressed concern that while the construction of one of these detached houses was well underway, the other had not been built.