A MISTAKE in minute taking could mean a major development will go ahead without the objections of local people being heard.

The error could mean the difference between the success or failure of an appeal lodged by Persimmon Homes against the decision of West Wiltshire District Council to refuse an application for 64 homes at Staverton marina.

Parish council chairman Lesley Warne said: "How can the public rely on decisions being correctly recorded when an incompetent clerk can change the course of a planning application with one stroke of their pen?

"This omission will have major repercussions for the village of Staverton."

The error happened after incorrect minute taking meant two of the district council's objections to the development were left off a refusal letter sent to developer Persimmon Homes.

The developer has applied for permission to build the two and three-storey homes on land previously earmarked for a bypass.

Residents turned out in force at a district council planning meeting on October 28 to voice their concerns.

Councillors voted to object to the application on three grounds; the fact the homes overlooked nearby properties, the height of buildings in relation to the village and because the development would be built across the line of the bypass. But the first two objections were omitted.

In a letter to the parish council the district council's development control manager David Hubbard admitted the error.

He said: "The council can raise concerns about the height of the buildings and overlooking at the appeal, although it should be noted this will carry substantially less weight coming from the council than if this objection was in the form of a reason for refusal on the planning decision notice."

Persimmon has now lodged an appeal and it is up to the planning inspector to decide what objections are taken into consideration.

District councillor Ernie Clark said: "This could mean the difference between the application going ahead or not."

District council spokesman Louise Knox said: "Although this situation has not happened before, changes have been made on how the planning committee is run to prevent any risk of this happening again."

Resolutions recorded in the minutes are now read out in full to the committee.