A major developer's reputation has been tarnished after it broke a promise to buyers in Keynsham, a councillor has said.

Hal MacFie said Somerdale residents were told they would get a shop but instead Taylor Wimpey is set to build another four homes that "mean nothing to them".

The former chocolate factory site is allocated for up to 700 homes, and so far 625 have been built, with another 125 under construction.

Officers said developers had already met their requirement to build a shop so there was no policy reason to refuse the application.

Mr MacFie, the ward member for Keynsham East, went canvassing for the recent town council by-election and said the issue was raised almost at almost every doorstep on the Somerdale estate.

He told the planning committee meeting on February 9: "They marketed that they would have a riverside cafe and a retail unit. They quite clearly have taken the decision to put profit in front of that.

"Four houses means nothing to them. They're going to walk around now with that tarnish. It's something that was going to make us a community. It's a sad day."

Cllr Duncan Hounsell said Taylor Wimpey had a "moral obligation to provide what most people on the site believed was going to be delivered".

It comes just three months after Chocolate Quarter residents were denied a shop and 44 more retirement flats were approved instead. Planning committee chair Sue Craig said that was a "great shame" that was not helping to build sustainable communities.

Cllr Shaun Hughes added: "How can we guarantee our residents, whether on this or any other development, have the confidence to buy a property and know the developer will deliver the promises they've made?

"They've provided no justification for changing the plans. We owe it to our residents to hold developers to account, otherwise these things aren't worth the paper they're written on.

"There's got to be lessons from this. Community development features should be written in a way so they can't be overturned so easily."

Taylor Wimpey planning consultant Stephan Siaw told the meeting the site was an accessible location for providing new homes with facilities for food and drink, a pharmacy and a volunteer-run community shop, plus more within walking distance in the town centre.

Alex Hill said in a written objection: "Somerdale needs facilities, not more houses. The original plans were meant to include a shop which has been scrapped which I don't understand why. It feels like another one of Taylor Wimpey's attempts at money grabbing rather than actually trying to create a community."

An officer said there was nothing to prevent the "evolution" of the site and it coming forward for other uses.

Keynsham North ward councillor Vic Clarke said he had sympathy with the residents who had bought into the development if the site had been marketed as a shop but estate agents' promises did not ensure it would happen.

"If there's no legal commitment for them to do something then within planning law they are perfectly entitled to put a new application in," he said.

Cllr Rob Appleyard said it was natural for a development of this size to have slight changes.

"The arrangement between the developer and the residents when they were making their purchases is not something in our sphere. It's down to them to deal with. This is a straightforward adjustment to the original plan. It's adding something to that area."

The application was approved by five votes in favour to four against, with one abstention.

Responding to the criticism, a spokesperson for Taylor Wimpey said: "We have delivered a variety of community facilities at our development in Somerdale for the benefit of residents and the wider community.

"A new nursery and cafe, which were initially planned to be located off Trajectus Way, have been provided elsewhere at the development and we have submitted a planning application for four new homes in this location.

"We are committed to meeting our obligations of the planning permission for Somerdale and remain committed to providing all of the facilities promised."