Residents in Locking are ‘pleased’ after North Somerset Council rejected a controversial planning-application appeal.

Gladmans Developments had submitted an application that would have seen more than 100 homes being built in Elm Grove.

The villagers campaigned against the application, arguing that the development of the homes would reduce the open space between Weston and the villages.

More than 100 people registered their objections to the proposal on the council's online planning portal.

North Somerset Council's inspection report on the planning application concludes: "The gap beyond the A371 and that between Haywood Village and Hutton would remain and still be visible from here, but the gap between Locking and Haywood Village (and the wider settlement of Weston-Super-Mare) would, in all likelihood, be lost as a result of the development."

Parish councillor Elfan Ap Rees said he was pleased with the decision by made by the inspector last month.

"We've spent a lot of time on that application over the past three years," he said. "I am sure a lot of residents are very pleased as well.

"I don't think they will appeal the decision again - the planning inspector made it very clear the strategic gap is important.

"I think it's important the villages are protected from developers.

"Locking is a historic village which needs to be protected. I'm old enough to remember when Worle was a village. It's important that villages that are close to Weston have that protection of garden field space between them.

"We are relaxed for now until the next planning application."

To read the full planning application, visit www.bit.ly/2QGyCJ7