A planning appeal over 41 homes in Ketton, Rutland has been refused after residents launched a petition.

Developer Manor Oak Homes appealed against the refusal of its planning application in June 2023 by Rutland County Council.

The proposed site near Manor Green, Ketton, would have included affordable housing, open space and allotments.

But members of the council's planning committee felt open space would be lost, and the appeal has now been dismissed on similar grounds.

Summarising his decision, the planning inspector said: "The scheme would support the wider area's acute need for affordable housing, contribute to the ongoing supply of market housing, result in a biodiversity net gain, quality open space and landscaping for existing and future residents and have a range of social and economic benefits.

"The totality of these benefits is significant, but is not sufficient to outweigh my findings in relation to the conflict with the development plan policies and the framework. Therefore, the appeal is dismissed."

Coun Karen Payne (Con – Ketton) said: "Ketton is already well served with three housing developments currently in place, which will eventually provide some 215 houses.

"As a result of these, three large open spaces have been lost and the residents of Ketton felt that enough was simply enough, and so fought hard against this application.

"In addition, that area is quite built up, there is a lot of residential parking that exists nearby, and locals felt that with the narrow entrance to the proposed site there could be a road safety issue. It is also a 'drop-off' zone for the nearby school.

"I spoke with concerned villagers and they felt that the area simply couldn't take more traffic that these 41 homes would inevitably bring.

"Rutland has already shown that it can meet the requirements for affordable housing – which was a key element in the Manor Oak Homes proposal – so the proposal did not meet the policy requirements on new housing development in the countryside."

Ketton residents brought a petition to the application and the subsequent appeal, pointing out that the proposal also did not comply with their newly adopted Ketton and Tinwell neighbourhood plan.

Coun Payne added: "The news that the appeal has been dismissed has come as very good news to the residents of the village, and of course I am delighted that I have been able to speak on their behalf, and that we have achieved the result we wanted."

In a statement, a spokesperson for Rutland County Council said: "A planning application for 41 homes on land near Manor Green, Ketton was initially refused because of policy restrictions on new housing development in the countryside. In addition, we were able to demonstrate a sufficient five-year housing land supply at the time the application came forward.

"Having considered an appeal by the developer, The Planning Inspectorate has also concluded that the Manor Green proposal would conflict with existing development plans and there are no material considerations that would outweigh this. Therefore, the appeal was dismissed."

Manor Oak Homes declined to comment on what it would do next.