23 homes at West Drive, Wethersfield, pulled out of Local Plan

West Drive was set to include the homes after the Local Plan sub-committee approved the site in November.

The committee was under the impression from a report that the parish council was in support of the development, as said by the landowner.

However, after the parish council held an extraordinary meeting with residents, it was found they had concerns with the plans.

At a meeting on Monday, Three Fields councillor Peter Tattersley said the site at West Drive should be removed.

He said: “The site is in a conservation area and any number of houses would be highly visible and out of character with the listed buildings.”

The site was submitted on the last day of the consultation period in August, and the parish council said it left them no time to make representations.

They had no initial objection to the plans, as they were under the impression they would have an opportunity to find out more during a public consultation.

About 100 Wethersfield residents attended an extraordinary meeting, saying they had never ‘fully supported’ the application.

Council leader Graham Butland supported the amendment, saying it was in line with what residents wanted.

He said he had originally moved the application ‘in good faith’.

He said: “For the Local Plan Committee it was quite unusual to have local support for this type of development. From subsequent actions that possibly was not the actual situation when we considered it.”