A plan for 80 homes in Potton has been rejected – but an appeal is being heard this week over housing on the same site.

Hollins Strategic Homes, which hopes to build on the site off Sutton Road, appealed in January against Central Bedfordshire Council’s rejection last June of its planning application for 80 homes.

The developer then put in another similar application for the same site, which has now been rejected – with council planners reasoning the development would harm “the character and appearance of the area by extending built environment into the countryside”, and be “incongruous and out of character”.

But an inquiry into the rejection of the first planning application last year is to open on Tuesday at the Central Beds Council offices in Chicksands, with a government inspector set to make a decision.

Councillor Adam Zerny, who represents Potton as an independent on Central Beds Council, said: “This is clearly a great result for the residents of Potton. Let’s hope Central Beds Council can defend their decision at the appeal.”

Central Beds Council has forwarded all public comments on to the Planning Inspectorate. The inquiry is set to last four days, with the public free to attend and speak.

Contact Kerr Brown at kerr.brown@pins.gsi.gov.uk if you would like to speak at the inquiry.