VILLAGERS say a planned 154-home development threatens the beauty and tranquillity of a long distance footpath and tourist attraction. Strategic Land Partnerships has submitted an application for the homes together with business units, a 50-bed care home

VILLAGERS say a planned 154-home development threatens the beauty and tranquillity of a long distance footpath and tourist attraction.

Strategic Land Partnerships has submitted an application for the homes together with business units, a 50-bed care home and other community facilities on land edging Lympstone.

The land, alongside Courtlands Lane, is part of the route of the East Devon Way footpath.

An action group has been formed to fight the proposals.

One of their objections is that the plan falls right on top of the East Devon Way-route as it passes through the Lympstone parish.

Devon County Council describes the path, which was launched by the district council in 1991, as stretching for 38 miles between Exmouth and Lyme Regis, forming a parallel alternative to the South West Coast Path.

Pete Youngman, project officer for the East Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, said: "The route allows you to experience heathland, high ridges, valleys, and the gentle babbling of streams, along with the wealth of wildlife dependent on these habitats".

As well as Exmouth and Lyme Regis, some smaller settlements are also passed through, such as Newton Poppleford, Sidbury, Colyton and Uplyme.

Rob Longhurst, chairman of the Courtlands/Lympstone Action Group, said: "The tranquillity of the footpath will be threatened by such a large development.

"Building a housing estate on the EDW defiles the landscape and is like graffiti on a Constable painting. It takes away a piece of our heritage forever - and forever is a very long time."

CLAG are asking anyone who is opposed to the plan to write and object. The details of how to object are on the website: www.lympstone.blogspot.com/.

Letters or emails need to be with the East Devon District Council by this Friday, May 7th.