Developers keen to build 450 homes on a beauty spot in Nailsea were warned they would face a riot if they refused to abandon their plans.

Mactaggart and Mickel wants to build a ‘garden city’ development on 60 acres of Youngwood Lane featuring orchards, allotments and green space.

The developer stressed the site would provide much-needed homes for Nailsea and a road through the development would take traffic away from Netherton Wood Lane.

Councillors passionately opposed the scheme claiming the site is ‘very important to the people of Nailsea’.

Addressing representatives for the developer at Nailsea Town Council’s planning meeting on August 10, Cllr Liz Frappell said: “Youngwood Lane is very important to the people of our town. It’s the one place we don’t want to see housing built.

“I would encourage you to abandon this site if you don’t want a riot.”

The council has been pushing for Youngwood Lane to be added to the greenbelt for years and land to the north west of Nailsea to be freed up for development, but their appeals have been rejected by North Somerset Council.

In the authority’s core strategy document, 1,100 homes need to be built in Nailsea by 2026 and although Youngwood Lane is not earmarked for development, the town is now fighting to defend the key green space from developers.

Councillors and residents raised concerns about extra traffic on the A370, which is already congested and the lack of spaces at nearby primary schools if the new homes are built.

Fears were also expressed about the number of proposed developments in the south of Nailsea, when areas in the north west are more suitable..

Stuart Marlow, from The Uplands, said: “My concern is that this can’t be viewed in isolation of other applications taking place in The Uplands and Engine Lane.

“It’s far too much development on this side of the town. It’s well away from the centre of Nailsea and the facilities.

“It’s going to totally spoil this side of the town.”

Cllr Clare Hunt added: “We are in a difficult position because we need to build more homes, but we have to be very careful that we don’t let development go in places we feel are wrong.

“I would argue whole-heartedly against this.

“North Somerset should be persuaded that they must look at this area for our town.

“This should be in the greenbelt while places in the greenbelt should be out of it. We should be fighting for that.”

The planning committee agreed to recommend refusal of the application and to push North Somerset Council for a planning strategy for Nailsea.