Around 40 people turned out at a meeting this week to express anger at proposals to develop Barton Orchard.

Ottery Town Council unanimously decided on Monday night not to support the scheme, which includes 11 market value homes, as well as eight affordable dwellings.

The architects for the plan Paul Humphries Ltd say it could be ‘hailed as an exemplar of 21st century housing and living’, but resident Chris Schofield described the house blueprints as looking more like ‘nuclear bunkers’.

Paul Humphries himself was at the meeting, speaking behalf of the Taylor family who own the land, and sought to allay concerns.

But despite claiming a report from the highways authority and an environmental study did not object to the plans, and assurances there is capacity for sewage treatment, a string of Tipton residents got up to call on councillors to reject the plans.

Jean Carter, who has lived in Tipton for almost 40 years, said the village could do with some affordable housing, but said there was no desire for market value properties, with around a dozen already up for sale

Last weekend Tipton St John resident’s association tried to gauge people’s opinion on the plan, with 40 out of 42 people who spoke to them coming out against development at Barton Orchard.

Bill Bolt, from the association, spoke at the meeting, adding: “It is in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB), it’s outside the village boundary, and people want to keep that protected.”

Councillor Roger Giles said despite some imaginative ideas in the plan, the houses would be carbon neutral and nestle within the landscape, there were a number of reasons the council should say no to it.

Councillors voted unanimously to not support the scheme, citing concerns over it being in an AONB, outside the village boundary, access, parking, wildlife, sewage, surface water runoff and visual impact issues.

East Devon District Council will have the final say on the proposals later this year.