A third Planning Inquiry into whether a housing estate should be built on Farleigh Fields, Backwell, North Somerset has opened in Weston-super-Mare Town Hall.

The Secretary of State turned down plans in 2018 but Persimmon Homes put forward a smaller-scale plan last year, which was also rejected, and appointed top planning barrister Christopher Young QC to represent them at the hearing.

The planning application, rejected by North Somerset Council was in outline only and was for 125 houses.

But Mr Young shocked local people in his opening remarks by indicating Persimmon were happy for permission for 115 homes and for some to be self-build schemes, although when asked to change the application formally from 125 to 115 he refused.

There have been 400 objections to the plans. Mr Young characterised local objectors as “mostly of retirement age owning their own homes built on green fields on the edge of development.”

Mr Young says the development should be allowed as North Somerset Council can only demonstrate where it plans to build new homes over the next 3.6 years while local authorities should have a five year plan.

The inquiry heard that previous objections about flooding likely to be caused by development on the land and a preserved tree in the garden of one of the homes Persimmon want to develop to gain access to the fields had now been settled in talks with the council.

Mr Timothy Leader, for North Somerset Council, said the council could demonstrate where houses would be built over the next five years. He said the development would cause harm to the overall character of the village and that local people had clearly stated preferred areas for development.

He said that Persimmon had tried four times since 1985 to have a tilt at getting permission for the site, despite the fact it was a sensitive and important site.

During the first session the Inspector Andrea Mageean indicated the inquiry would take seven days, including a site visit. She said issues such as landscape impact and impact on protected bats that would be affected by the development would have to be considered as well as the amount of land supply.

The Inquiry is being live-streamed on YouTube.