PLANS for 35 new homes in a Worcestershire village have been given the go-ahead after villagers admitted they had “lost the fight” against development.

Wychavon District Council’s planning committee has approved proposals to develop a field off Station Road, in Honeybourne, historically used for a sheep auction.

Permission to develop the site with 44 houses was first granted to Sharba Homes at appeal in September 2012.

But the site was then taken over by David Wilson Homes and this latest application is the developer’s second for the site.

Speaking in support of the plans, chairman of Honeybourne Parish Council Brian Johnson said they had given up trying to stop the land being developed.

“Honeybourne Parish Council fully supports this application. Our original view that this site should not be developed still exists but we live in the real world,” he said.

“One hundred and eightynine houses have already been given approval, increasing the village size by 29 per cent. We accept this but we are entitled to have a design that suits the village.

“We appreciate we have lost the fight on this site, please do not let us lose the chance over the type of houses on the site.”

Honeybourne’s district council representative Coun Alastair Adams also supported the plans. He said they were more appropriate for the area and less like a “development from Sheffield dropped into Honeybourne”.

Coun Reg Jakeman said: “Surely if we reject this today they will end up with the 44 homes which they (residents) don’t want and is out of keeping with the village.”

However, Coun Judy Pearce raised concerns.

“There are 13 units masquerading as five-bedroom properties that in fact have six bedrooms,” she said.

“There’s a sixth bedroom upstairs with bed in that calls itself a den. If it has a bed in it, is it a bedroom?”

Councillors voted to approve the plans with eight in favour, four against and one abstention.