Outline permission for 230 new homes in Newent have been given the go-ahead by planners.

Members of the Forest of Dean District Council's planning committee have voted in favour of the development.

The proposal, by Robert Hitchins, is for land off Southend Lane in the north Gloucestershire market town.

A bone of contention for those who live in Newent being the lane is unable to take the predicted extra traffic, which means the Gloucestershire-based developer wants to use nearby Foley Road, on the other side of the site.

In a letter to the district council Newent Town Council said it was objecting to the application "on the grounds the Developer has not sufficiently consulted with the Council on the proposals".

It also made a request "for Section 106 funding for varies facilities within the town" and pointed out that "in the District Council Allocation Development Plan for the site, the number of dwellings stated is 170, and this application is for up to 230 dwellings which the council feel is inappropriate and excessive; it should be no more than that stated in the allocation development plan".

Two letters from members of the public in Newent are on record alongside the outline plans. One objecting on the grounds of over development of the town and a second that a barn in the way of the plans could be a roost for bats.

There have also been concerns expressed about the number of vehicles travelling along Foley Road. Experts acting on behalf of the develop told the district council it could foresee no highways problems from the extra 230 homes.

A report by PFA Consulting for Robert Hitchins predicted an extra an extra 124 vehicles passing down the road in the morning and 11 at peak time in the afternoon.

Quoting the National Planning Policy Framework it reminded councillors "development should only be prevented or refused on highways grounds if there would be an unacceptable impact on highway safety, or the residual cumulative impacts on the road network would be severe."

The application number is P1330/18/OUT.

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