LANDOWNER Stuart Crook has appealed against a decision to refuse planning permission for 34 new houses in Minety.

In March, North Wiltshire District Council rejected a scheme to build homes, a new pre-school building and car parking close to Minety's primary school, when more than 100 villagers packed the district planning meeting to oppose the scheme.

It was felt the new houses would increase traffic to and from the village, contrary to government planning guidelines for rural developments.

Developer Savills, acting for Mr Crook, proposed to build the new homes on the Wiltshire County Council-owned school playing field, inside the village's development boundary and then re-locate the playing field on land it owns outside the development boundary.

Planning regulations do not forbid applications on land owned by a third party, so consent from the county council was not required.

However the county council made it clear that it did not support the original application, as it would have nothing to gain from it.

Minety parish council chairman David Brown said: "We are discussing the appeal at this week's parish council meeting, as people in the village are still very much against the scheme.

The appeal will be hear early next year.