AN action group has been set up by villagers opposed to plans to build 13 new homes on the edge of Brushford.

Claire Savill is spearheading the campaign and fears the application for just over a dozen homes could open the floodgates for further developments.

"We have got together to form an action group to fight this proposed development, which is on a greenfield site, outside the building line agree by West Somerset Council," she said.

"Many concerns have been expressed over the impact of resources in the village to support such a development, the sustainability of the proposal and the need for such a large-scale development."

But the village's development boundary may be blurred as the district council has yet to adopt an up-to-date Local Plan.

It has already lost several planning appeals as, without a plan, it cannot legally demonstrate a five year supply of housing land which would permit developments in some areas and restrict it in others.

The council is currently in the process of adopting a new Local Plan, but, without it, national planning policy takes precedence and development on 'sustainable' sites must be considered favourably.

In Brushford, an application has been submitted for outline planning permission for a mix of one, two, three and four-bedroom homes on land off Ellersdown Lane.

Agent Alex Bullock said the site was sustainable as it was ideally placed and within easy walking distance of all the services offered in Brushford including a play area, church, parish hall, garden machinery shop, builders' merchant and a currently vacant shop and petrol station.

He said the village was served by public transport and much needed affordable housing would also be provided as a result of the development.

"The size of the village is such that the whole village is within 500 metres of the site when measured along the highway.

"The addition of 13 properties will not have a significant adverse impact on existing road safety . . . a new site access for vehicles and pedestrians will be formed to the west of the existing field access.

"The proposals will also provide a footpath along the site frontage linking in with Pounds Close.

"Improvements will also be made to Pounds Close in the form of increasing the width at the northern end and the provision of a missing section of footpath on the western side," Mr Bullock said in a planning statement accompanying the application to the district council.

He said the site was sustainable in planning terms and there was an acute local need for affordable homes.

He also highlighted the lack of a West Somerset Local Plan and said the council's previously defined settlement boundaries could not be considered up-to-date.

But opponent Ms Savill said careful consideration had to be given to the impact the development would have on the local infrastructure and nearby homes.

"It worries me that developments can be proposed which either promise benefits to villages which do not happen or indeed, the developments start one size and, like Pinocchio's nose, grow larger," she said.

She said anyone interested in contacting the action group should email [email protected]">[email protected].

The full plans, including drawings and details of a public consultation and discussions with parish councillors, are available on West Somerset Council's website.