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 the chance to amend plans for a s

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 the chance to amend plans for a site in the middle of a residential area.

But the developers, Croudace Homes, declined to reduce the number of properties it wanted to build on a site in Green Drift, Royston.

It insisted that its original planning application to develop the site with 14 properties was keeping with the surrounding area.

Architect John Crawley told committee members that there were "no planning views to object to the application".

But councillors decided to turn down the application as it was an over-development and out-of-character with the area.

Cllr F John Smith said the developer had treated committee members with "considerable contempt".

"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.

Committee chairman Cllr Fiona Hill accused the developers of approach the scheme in "an arrogant and high-handed manner".

And Cllr Peter Burt told the developers: "We're been mucked about.