LEOMINSTER residents fighting against a plan for 35 new homes have been given some respite.

Harpers Group Construction's proposal for 35 new homes on land off Westcroft had been met with opposition by campaigners calling for Leominster's "last piece of green land" to be preserved.

The pitch is the third time developers have looked at the site which is currently made up of overgrown rough pastureland between properties on Barons Cross Road, Ropewalk Avenue and Westcroft.

Herefordshire Council's planning committee heard last week how people living nearby shared fears concerning the loss of privacy, air quality issues, traffic problems and the impact on wildlife that would be caused by any development.

Councillor Peter McCaull told the committee residents wanted to retain the land and had ideas about potential future uses for it.

The meeting heard there had been no objections from any statutory agencies and that Harpers was a well-known company which employed a number of local people.

Several members of the committee suggested reducing the number of proposed houses and keeping an area of open space which the residents were calling for.

The decision was deferred so further discussions could take place with the developer.