A PUBLIC inquiry is set to be held over a controversial bid by developers to increase the size of village by a third by building on farmland.

Brafferton Manor Farmers has appealed to the Secretary of State against the decision of Hambleton District Council to refuse its application to build 28 homes on the edge of Brafferton, near Thirsk.

The developer said the proposal for the 1.2-hectare site, which lies outside the village’s development limit and beside a conservation area, would provide numerous “economic, social and environmental benefits”, included much-needed affordable housing.

In addition, in its planning application, the developer said the council could not demonstrate a five-year housing land supply, a claim the authority has rejected saying its land supply for housebuilding was greater than eight years.

If a planning authority cannot show it is meeting the requirement, its residential development policies are considered out of date and, leaving all but the most inappropriate housing applications likely to be overturned at appeal.

The scheme was rejected after planners heard residents’ safety concerns over the access to the site, which is close to an blind bend in the road.

Other objections included ones over sewerage capacity and increased use of storm overloads discharging to the River Swale.

One objector, farmer Tom Spilman, said: “The access is dangerous and vehicle movements will make the village road too busy.

“I also feel that it is taking away much valued green space on the edge of the village that does not need to be built on as the village functions very well as it is.”

While highways officers made no objection to the scheme, Yorkshire Water said it appeared a direct connection to watercourse would be impractical due to crossing third party land.

The council said the scale of the development was inappropriate for the village, the conservation area and would create a “sudden and unsympathetic transition to the adjacent countryside”.

It stated: “The development would not reflect the historic pattern of development in the village that is characterised by frontage development to the streets with clusters of dwellings to the rear.”