A 38-HOME development has been given the go-ahead in Hilperton despite the objections of the parish council and local residents.

A planning application by JJ Gallagher and Heron Developments Ltd at Blue Hills, Devizes Road, for the homes was given the green light by West Wiltshire District Council's planning committee on Thursday.

People living near the site had objected on a wide range of grounds, including loss of amenity and open countryside, too many dwellings, increase in traffic, impact on wildlife and insufficient local amenities.

A particular sticking point at the meeting proved to be the amount of affordable homes provided within the application.

Affordable homes will make up 30 per cent of the development and some people felt this amount was too much and in the wrong place.

Cllr Jeff Osborn, planning portfolio holder for the district council, said: "In urban areas policy sets affordable housing at 30 per cent and in rural at 50 per cent, so this could have been higher.

"The reason it is not is because this application has been hanging around for two years waiting for a decision on the Hilperton relief road."