A PLANNING application for more than 200 houses in Rockwell Green has been refused.

Gladman Developments Ltd planned to build up to 205 homes and 60 apartments with care facilities on land west of Bagley Road.

But the application was refused by Taunton Deane Borough Council (TDBC) planners, as the new homes would fall outside of the defined settlement limit of Wellington and Rockwell Green, which would result in an unplanned extension of the town.

Other reasons included insufficient information being submitted to demonstrate that the development would result in no harm to any European Protected Species and that no mechanism was in place to secure appropriate affordable housing.

Wellington Town Council also voted to reject the plans on the grounds the land fell outside of the core strategy, that there was an adequate supply of allocated land in Wellington and that there was insufficient infrastructure in Wellington to support the development.

Dozens of objections were received to the application, mainly opposing the application for similar reasons to the council.

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Councillor Janet Reed said: “The green fields has been one of the things that has made this country special, helping to contain the ugly urban sprawl that blights much of Europe and America.

“This application is outside the village settlement area and a threat to yet more concrete covering our countryside.

“Brexit should ease the population pressure that has caused building on our countryside so it is unnecessary to continue using Green Field Sites for Housing.

“Many residents living in Bagley Road and Rockwell Green will be aware of flooding issues in this area in the past and building on this land will make this problem far worse.”

Other concerns voiced by the residents include the stretching of vital services across the town.

In a letter of objection, Roslyn Halsey, said: “I do not believe that Wellington has the infrastructure in place to cope with a further development for the following reasons.

“Over the past 12 months I have been unable to get a doctors appointment, having to accept telephone consultation when I had a serious chest infection.”

Another resident, Margaret Sanders, said: “There is no need for housing development here as the existing plan allows for enough housing development to meet needs until 2028.”

Gladman Developments has been approached for comment.