Plans for new homes in a small Somerset village have been thrown out following “woefully inadequate” advice from highways experts.

Persimmon Homes South West and the Johnstone Land Company (Bristol) Ltd. applied to build 26 homes at the western end of Chapelfield in the village of Oakhill, near Shepton Mallet.

Somerset County Council’s highways department advised that the development would not cause any significant harm to the village.

But Mendip District Council’s planning board voted unanimously to refuse the plans when it met on Wednesday evening (June 15), citing concerns about over-development, road safety and the impact on the village’s character.

Rob Westell, who lives near the site, claimed that he and more than 100 local residents were 'vehemently opposed' to the development, arguing the village could not cope with any more new housing.

He compared the plans to Gladman Developments’ proposals for 95 homes in the neighbouring village of Chilcompton – which were struck down by the Planning Inspectorate in February following a public inquiry.

He told the board: "As a secondary village, Oakhill should be one of the last places to accommodate new housing development of this scale.

"Twenty-six new homes in Oakhill represents a 9.4 per increase in the size of the village – the village which, according to the Local Plan, has already exceeded its fair share of new development.

"Issues surrounding the narrow High Street with its lack of pavements, dangerous junctions with the A37 and A367, or Chapelfield’s existing 90-degree blind bend have not been assessed, despite these issues being raised time and time again by residents.

"Between the village centre and the application site, pedestrian access is quite simply dangerous. With no shop, limited bus services and no job opportunities, Oakhill’s residents are forced to use the car for almost all journeys.

"The density is far higher than the surrounding, existing development. The result is a layout which will cause a permanent loss of privacy and loss of light to existing properties."

Oakhill lies within the ward of Ashwick, Chilcompton and Stratton – represented by Councillors Joshua Burr and Sam Phripp.

In a joint statement, read aloud on their behalf, they said: “We stand with the vast majority of residents in pointing out how inappropriate this house-building would be.

"Oakhill as a village has grown in recent years and has delivered its fair share towards the district’s overall housing targets.

"The site and its access lies at the end of a quiet and relatively narrow cul-de-sac and is currently a much-loved green space. Frankly, we shouldn’t be adding additional traffic to roads that cannot take it."