MINETY villagers are celebrating after their four-year fight to stop plans for 34 houses on land at Sawyers Hill and Webb's Lane has ended in victory.

A Government inspector has dismissed an appeal lodged by farmer Stuart Crook against North Wiltshire District Council's decision to reject the scheme.

After considering points raised at the four-day hearing held last month, the inspector, Charles Hughes, said the benefits of the plan, which included relocating playing fields and provision for a new pre-school building, were not enough to outweigh the harm that would be caused by the proposed development.

The Friends of Minety have been fighting the development since November 1999 when Mr Crooks submitted his first plan to develop the site.

They raised more than £5,500 in just three months to fund their own planning agent at the hearing and said it had been worth the effort.

Treasurer Ian Elston said: "We are absolutely delighted, over the moon. It has been a war of attrition with them trying to grind us down with money. Common sense has finally prevailed."

Chairman of the parish council, David Brown, said: "It's all thanks to the Friends of Minety for putting a good defence together."

Nigel Whitehead of WPB Town Planning Services, who represents Mr Crook, said they were disappointed with the inspector's decision but they would not be pursuing this application any further.

He said: "My client is looking at the report now and considering his options. I can say now we will not be going to the High Court."

The inspector said 34 homes were not within a reasonable definition of a small development and would affect the character of Minety.

He added the increases in the number of houses would result in the growth in the number of car journeys and would be contrary to Government objectives.

The developers hoped the benefits to the scheme would outweigh the costs.

The plans included nine units of affordable housing, improvement to the playing field once it had been moved, provision for a new pre-school and a £100,000 grant to the local shop.

But these claims were contested by the primary school, pre-school and village shop.

Primary school governors said the playing field was of poor quality and that moving it would make supervision of the children more difficult.

The chairman of the governors, Matt Masters, said he was very happy with the inspector's decision. "The school governors are delighted to hear that the planning application to develop the school playing field has been turned down," he said.

"We now hope that we can return to the business of managing the school without any further distractions from this matter."

Despite having the offer of a new building, the pre-school said it was also happy that the appeal had been dismissed. Pre-school supervisor Jennie White said: "We would not support plans that would give us a new pre-school at the expense of the school and village. The school is in the middle of a huge playing field and that is the way it should be."

The friends said they enjoyed a small celebration on Saturday night after news of the decision but will be organising an official celebration in June.

Friends chairman Jeffrey Bean said: "It is a mixture of relative relief and extreme joy that this is over."

cramos@newswilts.co.uk