The decision to allow 130 homes to be built on land behind Butts Road on appeal has been branded ‘disgusting’ by a local campaign group.

Councillors and residents are also angry at the inspector’s decision to overturn the original rejection of Redrow Homes’ application.

Richard North, from Protect Ottery St Mary, said: “We are disgusted by the decision of the inspector.

“The views of those who live here and the unsuitability of this particular site have been completely and deliberately ignored.”

He blamed the district council for not monitoring its five-year land supply well enough, meaning it was unable to defend its position at the appeal.

Ottery councillor Roger Giles said the decision was very bad news for Ottery, calling the development ‘unsustainable’, adding he fears it will cause ‘traffic gridlock’ in the town.

“It is totally the wrong site for development,” he added.

“It is also a damaging blow for democracy; it was contrary to the wishes of Ottery people and the Town Council, and it may result in Ottery getting many more houses than local people and the council said they wanted.”

Councillor Andrew Moulding, East Devon District Council’s Cabinet Member for Strategic Development and Partnerships, said: “Following on from a similar appeal decision in September, the inspector’s finding is a further setback for us in terms of our desire to protect the environment and see new homes built in a controlled manner.

“We are well aware that new homes, especially affordable housing, need to be built.

“We are making ongoing efforts to convince some of our residents that saying no to new development is not an option, if we cannot get agreement to allocations that give us a defensible land supply, we may continue to be vulnerable to losing appeals like this one.”

Simon Steele-Perkins from Prockter Land LLP, who are the developers for the Barrack road site in Ottery, said he doesn’t think the decision at Butts Road undermines the case for his site.

He said: “On the contrary the confirmation that the council is not able to demonstrate five years supply of housing provides additional support for approval of the applications, as the council must now take positive actions to remedy this shortfall.”