THE future of a £23million development in Sandford is now in doubt after North Somerset councillors denied it planning permission

THE future of a £23million development in Sandford is now in doubt after North Somerset councillors denied it planning permission.Developer St Monica Trust wants to build a retirement village and dementia care home on the former Sandford Stone quarry site in Station Road.But at a south area committee meeting councillors voted five to one against the development.However, due to the importance of the application it was referred by chairman Cllr Liz Wells to the council's planning and regulatory committee, where a decision will be made on August 22.Winscombe and Sandford Parish Council has also opposed the application because it includes building on greenfield land. The council's planning chairman, Archie Forbes, said: "There would have been so many planning policies contravened it if had been allowed to go ahead. We have always said we will look at St Monica if they stick to brownfield land."Speaking after the meeting, St Monica Trust director Gerald Lee said: "We were disappointed by the decision made at the planning meeting and also surprised by sections of the report presented by officers in the planning department, which we believe to contain inaccuracies."We look forward to the opportunity to clarify the situation at the meeting on August 22 when we hope there will be a satisfactory resolution of all outstanding issues.