More houses will be built in Congresbury after North Somerset Council gave the green light to a planning application, despite objections from villagers.

Developer Sunley Estates first applied for permission to build 54 homes off Cobthorn Way in 2015, but this was turned down by the council in February.

The developer came back with a proposal for 38 homes – and the revised scheme won support from the council’s planning committee.

At the meeting Congresbury Residents’ Action Group (CRAG) chairman Mary Short spoke against the plans.

She said: “In February, the committee refused an application on the same site for sound planning reasons.

“The development was too big, an intrusion on the local landscape. It didn’t encourage people to leave their cars at home, putting too many vehicles onto poor access.

“Two months ago you made a good decision for the right reasons.

“Making a bad decision for what you know are the wrong reasons is never justifiable.”

The altered plans still prompted 14 letters of objection from neighbours on the council’s online planning portal.

Ian Ellis of Southern Planning, who spoke on behalf of Sunley Estates, said the plan had been reduced ‘substantially’.

He said: “The applicant was determined not to come back with just a token gesture but a revised development that the community can be proud of for years to come.”

North Somerset ward councillor Tom Leimdorfer said: “Nobody looks forward to building and it isn’t ideal.

“But this is a substantial concession and it does make much more sense.”