Plans for nearly 250 new homes for the ‘Topsham Gap’ have been given the go ahead by councillors.

Exeter City Council’s planning committee unanimously approved three separate applications for the edge of the town.

Outline plans for 61 residential units for land at Broom Park Nurseries and Five Acres on Exeter Road, and for 24 homes at an adjacent site off Exeter Road were given the go-ahead in line with the officer recommendation for approval.

And councillors also granted the reserved matters approve for 155 new homes at Clyst Road, a site that they have previously refused planning permission for, only to see a planning inspector overturn their decision on appeal.

On the Clyst Road scheme, Cllr Rob Hannaford, proposing approval, said that it does ‘all we can reasonably expect from it’.

He added that with 54 of the 155 homes set to be affordable, it provides more than the policy required levels of affordable housing, and that the homes were integrated within the development.

Cllr Emma Morse, chairman of the committee, added: “The concept of developing the land has been tested and approved at appeal, despite our feelings on the matter. It is a good application, if you have to develop the land there.”

The officer’s recommendation for approval was unanimously supported, as were the proposals for the Exeter Road site.

Officers, in their report for the two Exeter Road schemes, said: “It is fact that the scheme would result in development of part of the Topsham gap and landscape setting around Topsham, and would consequently harm the character of part of it.

“However, the development of this site, which already contains a single residential dwellings and holiday accommodation, would not in itself lead to any material coalescence between the two settlements.

“The development is considered acceptable in terms of its design/amenity and transportation impacts, and sustainable in terms of its location.

“In terms of design/visual amenity impact it is considered that in principle the site is capable of accommodating the level of development proposed in a satisfactory manner through a subsequent ‘reserved matters’ application.”