RESIDENTS in Sutton Benger are angry that a development of 14 homes in the village, including six affordable houses, has been approved, especially after their local councillor, who asked that the application was decided by a committee rather than officers, then abstained from the vote.

The planning application for the homes at Arms Farm was called in by Wiltshire Councillor Howard Greenman. It went before the committee on October 5, where it was passed by four votes to two.

The decision has left residents unhappy, with many expecting Coun Greenman to vote against the application.

Vice-chair of the Arms Farm Working Party, Johanna Talbot, said: “We’re frustrated and very disappointed with the decision.

“They only gave us nine days’ notice so many people were away or unable to take time off work to go the meeting and voice their concerns.

“Howard Greenman came to a meeting a few months ago and listened to the parish council discussion and gave us the impression that he was very determined that it was not a planning application that goes forward.

“He said the only reason for it to be called in was because of the access.”

This week Coun Greenman defended his decision to abstain from the vote, saying he believed that the application would have been won on appeal regardless.

“Sutton Benger has been identified as a large village in planning terms and is very open to speculative planning applications from developers,” he said.

“I know that had the developer gone to appeal, he would have won the appeal which would have cost about £20,000 to the taxpayer.

“As we would have no reasonable prospect on appeal I felt I had to abstain from the vote.

“I put the item forward and just left it to the committee as legally it was safer and it wouldn't have changed the decision.”

Two previous applications at Arms Farm, one for 60 homes and the second for 28, were both rejected in the past but two other applications, relating to the barn and farmhouse there, were approved.

“We’re very desperate for these farm buildings to be renovated because it has huge historic value,” added Mrs Talbot.

Residents concerned about access, flooding and impact on the wildlife if a development were to take place at Arms Farm now plan to take the decision to judicial review.