STRATFORD District Council has turned down a housing development planned for the Bridge End Service Station in Oversley Green - but a ward councillor believes there may still be a positive outcome.

One of the reasons for refusal was the site should be used for business or commercial use, writes Helen Clarke.

This would fit in with the district council's desire to retain business uses and sites in rural and residential areas to protect local economy and services.

But ward councillor Wendy Weatherhead, who supported the housing application believes eventually a suitable housing development will be accepted.

Mrs Weatherhead said: "The only lawful use of this land is for petrol pumps, but for safety reasons these have already been sealed off.

"This is green belt land so I'm not sure how permission was granted for this use initially.

"We would really like to see a small, appropriate housing development on this land to tidy it up."

Another reason why the district council turned the application down was because it felt the houses would not have been in keeping with existing buildings as they were 'materially larger in terms of bulk, mass and height'.

But Mrs Weatherhead feels that a modified plan for a housing development would eventually be accepted.

She said: "Most people, including residents do not want to see a commercial business on this site again. They would like to see a small housing development.

"It was felt that the submitted application would have constituted over-development of this site, but I would imagine the developers are now in talks with planning officers to come up with a more suitable plan.

"For years nothing has happened in Oversley Green. Now the Cherry Trees site is being developed and I would dearly love to see the rest of Oversley Green looking as it should."