A 37-home estate will be built after councillors approved a planning application which they rejected in December.

North Somerset Council’s planning and regulatory committee approved Yatton Developments Ltd’s plans to turn the village’s old Titan Ladders base in Mendip Road into a 28-home and nine-flat estate on January 9, after turning down the proposal just one month ago.

MORE: ‘Unthought through’ plan for housing on old factory site sees council reject scheme.

Committee members had expressed concerns over paying a private company to maintain the site and manage highways and drainage maintenance and refuse collections.

But as members went against officers’ recommendations the plans were heard again, and the applicant made a number of changes including reducing the height of the homes to avoid overlooking.

Assurances were also given about the design, depth and strength of the drains to ensure durability, a prominent factor in why the application was previously turned down.

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The revised plans sparked debate among members.

Yatton ward councillor Jill Illes said: “This is over-development on the site because I still have doubts over drainage and vehicle access.

“I am very concerned about vehicles going into and out of the site, there are too many houses crammed in.”

But Cllr Chris Blades said: “I feel sorry for the applicant because I do not understand why we are doing what we are doing.

“This design on a brownfield site is one of the best I have seen for a long time and a good development for Yatton.”

The agent confirmed all homeowners will now become shareholders in a management company which will be responsible for waste collections and general upkeep of the estate.

All the homes, except the nine flats, will be sold as freehold, meaning the 28 homeowners could pay up to £45 per month to cover such maintenance.

The site falls in previously developed land and the idea of housing on the land is supported within Yatton’s draft neighbourhood plan.

Cllr Elfan Ap Rees, the executive member for housing, added: “We have an estate run by residents at Locking Parklands and if it is run properly it works.

“In this day and age it’s quite effective and they accepted that responsibility when moving there.”