A controversial new housing development in Lympstone could be avoided, after the parish council nominated a number of alternative sites.

An application to build 15 homes – 10 affordable – on land north of Glebelands was deferred by East Devon District Council’s development management committee last month.

The scheme, which has drawn strong objections from neighbours of the site, was opposed at that meeting by Councillor Ben Ingham, who said there were other more suitable sites which could meet the village’s housing needs.

Now, as part of Lympstone Parish Council’s neighbourhood plan process, five other sites where building could take place have been put forward.

The sites, chosen after the council consulted with residents, are the Old Rectory in Burgmann’s Hill, two sites in Jackson Meadow, land north of Long Meadow Road, and Lympstone Nurseries.

At a parish council meeting this week, this decision was criticised by Councillor Jim Bailey, the affordable housing champion, who said councillors had previously earmarked the Glebelands site for housing, and that by rejecting it now the council would be “going back on its word”.

However, the council’s planning chief Rob Longhurst said that in the years since the Glebelands site had been backed, other sites had become more suitable – a position backed by other councillors.

The parish council’s submission to EDDC is available online at www.lympstone.org/parish-council. The Glebelands development will return for consideration at January’s development management committee meeting.