NEARLY 300 people have raised objection to plans for a new 154-home development at Courtlands Cross. Scores of representation letters have been received by East Devon District Council following an action group meeting, designed to stop the application fro

NEARLY 300 people have raised objection to plans for a new 154-home development at Courtlands Cross.

Scores of representation letters have been received by East Devon District Council following an action group meeting, designed to stop the application from going through, held in Lympstone last month.

The outline planning application, submitted by Strategic Land Partnerships, calls for a development on greenbelt land wedged between Lympstone and Exmouth.

Rob Longhurst, chairman of the action group, reminded people who were against the proposals that they only have until this Friday, May 7, to submit their views to EDDC.

He said: "We are pleased with the amount of objections.

"It is impressive that there have been so many people writing into the council when you consider that they have had to go to the trouble of writing a letter."

The Lympstone/Courtlands action group was set up a number of months ago in the anticipated event there was strong opposition to the plans.

The group has sent pamphlets to residents' homes suggesting ways people can submit objections.

It believes if the development goes ahead, Lympstone will lose its green wedge; the area will lose its identity and instead of being a rural area it will become part of the urbanisation of Exmouth.

The group also believes the proposed new exit onto the already-congested A376 will add yet more traffic and cause extra pollution.

Among the latest concerns lodged to EDDC regarding the plans was the pressure such a development would place on local schools.

A spokesperson for Devon County Council's children and young people's services said Lympstone Primary School had a pupil capacity of 157 persons.

She said: "A residential development of 154 dwellings could be expected to produce 38.5 primary-aged pupil places, increasing the shortfall of places at the school.

"Lympstone C of E primary is situated on a very constrained site which is below the DCSF (Department for Children School's and families) recommended site area guidance making future expansion inappropriate."

The spokesperson added that the secondary school affected by the plans, Exmouth Community College, had a capacity of 2410 pupils.

"A residential development of 154 dwellings could be expected to produce 23.1 secondary-aged pupils which will increase the shortfall of places at the school.