Developers have got the go-ahead to build 72 homes on the edge of a Somerset village — despite councillors' fears "this is going to be seen as 'the council estate.'"

Housing association LiveWest's proposed 72-home development in Paulton's former print works area was the first housing development to be considered under Bath and North East Somerset Council's new environmental rules requiring them to be net-zero.

The 72 homes will be built off Oxleaze Way. 30% of the homes are confirmed to be planned as affordable, with the potential of all of them being sold as affordable homes.

In February, the council's planning committee sent the scheme back to the developers, with Saltford councillor Duncan Hounsell saying it would be "perverse" for them to approve a scheme that did not meet the new requirements.

But on April 26, the scheme came back before the committee, promising to now be "fossil fuel free and ultra-low carbon" with new heat pumps replacing gas boilers and an increased amount of solar panels.

This time, councillors approved the scheme, with Mr Hounsell congratulating the planning team on the "substantial progress" with the application.

But some still raised concerns about the housing development. Paulton councillor Liz Hardman, who addressed the committee as local ward councillor and not a voting member, warned: "Paulton residents are unanimously against this application for 72 new homes."

She added: "They are not NIMBYs, having accepted over 600 new homes in the past 10 years. The population of Paulton has also risen by at least over a thousand people. This is quite a considerable number of new people moving into the area.

"These 72 new homes will put an extra strain on the infrastructure already under stress."

Westfield councillor Eleanor Jackson commented: "I do not feel that putting a complete mini-estate of affordable housing down in one spot is a good idea. […] This is going to be seen as 'the council estate' with animus from the rest of the residents."

Shaun Hughes, councillor for Midsomer Norton North, added: "Speaking as someone who grew up on one of the largest council estates in the UK — if not Europe — I think it is vital that these are spread amongst the community, not in one location.

"I also think it's a real shame that overall this development has failed to deliver all of the aspects and all of the incentives that would have helped to make this a community rather than a council estate: things like community buildings and pubs and restaurants, even care homes."

When the development plans for the former Purnell print works as a whole were agreed by the council in 2010, it had included allocations for a pub/restaurant, community buildings, and a continuing care retirement community — the latter of which would have been based on the site now to be used for the 72 homes.

Council officers explained that no developer had come forward to build the retirement facility there since 2010.

Ms Jackson said: "I was 74 yesterday; I shall need this kind of accommodation that was originally proposed at some point in the remainder of my life — I have no doubt — and I think to lose this is very unfortunate."

She added: "We are very under-bedded with people having to find accommodation for their relatives in Oakhill, on one side, Shepton Mallet, Bath — distances far greater than Paulton to Westfield, Radstock area."

Weston councillor Shelley Bromley agreed there was a need for sheltered accommodation, but added: "At the same time we have a great need for social housing, and this actually delivers that and hopefully will be very useful in the wider area."

The committee voted to approve the plans, with only Ms Jackson and Mr Hughes voting against.