A decision to reject plans to build three homes in Sidford was upheld on appeal after the development was labelled as ‘harmful’ to the surrounding area.

But the planning inspector still ordered the district council to pay some of the applicant’s costs after it failed to justify one of its reasons for turning the scheme down.

An application was made for the land at The Lookout in Coreway last June, but two months later it was turned down on the grounds it was ‘an unallocated site in the open countryside’, and building there would have gone against planning policy.

The plans had attracted 11 objections, and Sidmouth Town Council was ‘unable to support’ the plans, saying they were ‘detrimental to the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty’ (AONB), and it was outside the development boundary.

An appeal against East Devon District Council’s (EDDC) decision was made to the planning inspector, but his decision earlier this month was the development was unacceptable.

In his report he said the elevation at The Lookout site meant it is not discreetly located, and would harm the landscape of the AONB.

“My overall conclusion is that the harm to the environment would outweigh the modest economic and social benefits sufficiently to be unacceptable,” he added.

The applicant made a claim for costs however, arguing EDDC’s original decision was based on it having a five-year-land supply, a list of potential sites for ne homes.

But after two other recent appeals proved this not to be the case, the inspector said the council failed to provide evidence to substantiate its reason for refusal.

EDDC was ordered to pay the applicant the costs of the appeal proceedings incurred in dealing with the matter of housing land supply only.