A developer can build more houses on a "claustrophobic" estate on the edge of Bridgwater - despite a lack of progress on a new school for the area.
Bloor Homes was given outline planning permission in July 2018 to build 248 houses near Willstock Farm, as part of the wider Willstock Village development, near junction 24 of the M5.
The developer put forward plans to increase the number of homes to 257, reducing the number of four-bedroom properties to squeeze in more two- and three-bedroom dwellings.
Sedgemoor District Council has voted in favour of these changes - despite concerns about traffic and slow progress around the construction of a new primary school at the southern end of the site.
The council's development committee met in Bridgwater on Tuesday morning (July 23) to discuss the proposals.
Planning officer Dawn de Vries said in her written report that the changes were due to "market pressures limiting the saleability of some of the larger properties."
Linda Hyde from North Petherton Town Council said the village supported the new school and community hub as part of the site, but questioned whether this would be the last increase of its kind.
She said: "We accept that this is a very small increase in the number of houses - but the question is: when will it stop?
"Access through the narrow roads of Willstock remains unsatisfactory. Adding more dwellings will make it worse.
"The county council's decision not to build a school on the allocated land should mean no further development should take place until this decision is changed."
Land for a new primary school was allocated when outline planning permission was granted.
Somerset County Council confirmed in April this school was not part of its capital programme for the coming year - though it will ensure places are provided elsewhere.
Ms Hyde added: "The school is absolutely vital, and it's been used to allay fears about further development.
"But there's no capital funding from the county council, so children will be expected to travel across Bridgwater to Northgate and Willowdown. It's an issue for the whole area."
Councillor Bill Revans - whose North Petherton ward includes the development site - said allowing more homes would make existing traffic issues worse.
He said: "The original outline application was for 330 houses.
"Let's bear in mind that when they reduced the houses to 248, that also included putting in the school. The school increases the amount of traffic movements as much as increasing the houses.
"The roads are incredibly narrow to try and persuade people to walk and use public transport - but the reality is there is no public transport there at the moment, the cycling routes are not complete and so people are using cars.
"To grant permission for nine more houses is foolish."
Councillor Alan Bradford was critical of the county council's position, stating: "It's a great shame that people don't do what they say.
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"We have people travelling from Willstock and Stockmoor into North Petherton causing immense problems in the morning."
Councillor Kathy Pearce added: "Having knowledge of that area, and being told how claustrophobic it is, I wonder whether this is the final straw.
"We've been told the cycle routes aren't in place yet and the MUGA that should have been provided before anyone moved in hasn't been provided. It feels as though we're being asked to accept more when the developer's obligations haven't been fulfilled."
Councillor Alistair Hendry, however, said there were no good reasons in planning law to refuse the application.
He said: "We've only come here today to speak about what's on the table - that's nine houses. We're not here to talk about cycle paths."
The committee voted to approve the plans by a margin of ten votes to four.
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