A DEVELOPER has been accused of being high-handed and arrogant in not accepting an opportunity to change a planning application. Councillors on North Herts District Council s Royston area committee gave the developer a change to amend the scheme a mon

A DEVELOPER has been accused of being "high-handed" and "arrogant" in not accepting an opportunity to change a planning application.

Councillors on North Herts District Council's Royston area committee gave the developer a change to amend the scheme a month ago.

But developers Croudace Homes, said it would not make changes to its original scheme to build 14 homes on a site in Green Drift, Royston.

It insisted that the scheme was in keeping with the surrounding area.

And architect John Crawley told committee members that he believed there were no grounds to object to the planning application.

But councillors decided to reject the application saying it was an over-development and out of character with the area.

Residents in Green Drift and the surrounding area had spent months objecting to the scheme which they claimed would make a fundamental difference to the area.

Councillor F John Smith described the developers of treating councillors with "considerable contempt".

He said the original planning application had been deferred to allow the developers an opportunity to make amendments to the scheme which would have been acceptable.

Cllr Smith said: "It's reasonable to believe that the land will be developed, but we object to the density of this plan and the design is poor."

He said the number of properties on the plan was "an excessive number".

"The design is poor and is not up to the standards of the buildings in the surrounding area," he said.

Councillor Liz Beardwell said: "Nothing has changed and no effort has been made to meet the concerns of the residents."

And Councillor Peter Burt said: "The developer had the opportunity to act on our comments. The developer has not taken our points on board.

"We are being mucked about, and we're not in the mood to be mucked about," he said.

Committee chairman Councillor Fiona Hill accused the developers of being "arrogant" and acting in "a high-handed manner".

Earlier John Verrall, for the residents' campaign group, told the committee: "The plans are back unamended. It feels like our efforts to look after our environment for the future are being treated with contempt."

He said the development would harm the character and appearance of the area.

- A plan to demolish a bungalow and build two chalet-style properties on the land has been rejected.

The plan involved a site in Garden Walk, Royston.

Cllr Tony Hunter said such a development could have a "domino effect" with properties being shoe-horned into sites.

And Cllr Smith said the scheme was not in keeping with that particular part of Garden Walk.

Earlier resident Margaret Horritt said the development would mean her property would be "confronted" by brick walls.

She was worried that such a scheme could set a precedent in the area.

Alan Stuart, who represented the developers, Marcon Construction, said he believed the scheme would "improve the character and quality of the area".