Developers Cotswold Homes have won a planning battle to build 10 three-bedroom town houses and two pairs of semi-detached three-bedroom homes on the former Starline coach depot in Clevedon’s Strode Road.
CJH Land, based in Flax Bourton, brokered the site’s sale with a view to replacing derelict commercial buildings at the depot with 14 new homes – but Cotswold Homes were refused consent by North Somerset Council despite an officer’s recommendation to approve.
CJH Land director Matthew Hiles said: “The fact the application was presented to the planning committee with a recommendation to approve suggests the original proposal was sound in all respects. The inspector took a similar view and overturned the refusal on appeal.”
Cotswold Homes, based at Tormarton near Bath, are hoping to begin work on site before Christmas.
Mr Hiles aded: “As part of the original application the developers had pledged to provide a total of £44,000 to North Somerset Council to support open spaces, education and libraries. The inspector reduced this to £24,000.
“If the committee had followed the original recommendation of the officer and approved the scheme local council taxpayers would have benefited to the tune of £20,000 and we would all have saved a great deal of time.”