MORE should be done to help people be able to afford to move back to the village they grew up in, a county councillor has said.

A plan to build 24 homes on land opposite playing fields in Burghill was approved by councillors at a Herefordshire planning committee meeting, despite the village's parish council opposing the application.

Parish clerk Hazel Philpotts said some residents would prefer smaller developments of ten to 12 properties at different areas in the village, and she said the council was concerned about drainage problems at the site.

But Cllr Jim Kenyon, who is on the planning committee, said he believed it should be approved as the application includes eight affordable two-bedroom homes.

Cllr Kenyon said: "On occasions this committee- I feel we have to nudge parish councils and support them as much as we can.

"I grew up 47 years ago in a parish right next to it. I would love to move back to Breinton. Unfortunately there is no housing around there that I could afford to move to.

"With this application there will be eight social rent houses- they could then move back. There would be no social housing otherwise.

"I am again disappointed that the parish council didn't engage more with this."

The site is north-west to the village and there will be a low density of 16 houses per hectare.

Access would be onto a 40 mph speed limit road, which raised concerns about safety, but it was considered acceptable by the transportation manager.

Concerns about a flood risk and drainage issues were also dismissed, as Welsh Water raised no objections and there will be conditions in place, including a pump station.

Cllr Terry James said: "Let's get real. In many ways this is more sustainable than the one [planning application] before which we all agreed on. I have not heard one single planning reason for refusal."

He said there needs to be affordable housing adding: "We seem to go along with the idea to keep Burghill as an exclusive domain with large houses that don't sustain local people within the community."

Cllr Alan Seldon said he could not support the application as there were too many unknowns and he was concerned about the issue about surface water.

Planning permission was given- nine voted in favour; six against and one abstention.

What is affordable housing? Herefordshire Council defines it as; provided at below market prices; for people with a local connection to Herefordshire; and for people who are unable to afford to purchase or rent houses generally available on the open market without financial assistance, as their only home.