Proposals to build 300 homes on the southern edge of Little Wymondley have been recommended for approval by planning officers.

A final decision on Welbeck Land's plans for land between the High Street and the A602 bypass will be made by North Herts Council's planning committee on Thursday (August 13).

The site was previously within the Green Belt, but has since been included in the council's Local Plan, which acts as the blueprint for future development in the area.

Little Wymondley currently has a population of just over 1,000, and Wymondley Parish Council has objected to the proposal on a number of grounds, including that the development site is unsustainable and that the plans would change the character of the village.

A total of 379 objections have also been received from nearby residents.

Planning officers accepted the development would involve the loss of agricultural land and harm to the landscape, but concluded that any drawbacks to the proposals would not "significantly and demonstrably outweigh" its benefits.

North Herts Council can currently only show a two-and-a-half-year supply of land for new housing, well below the required minimum of five years.

The deficit means it is significantly harder for the authority to block proposed developments.

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One hundred and twenty of the 300 homes at the site would be classed as affordable, and properties would range in size from one-bedroom to four-bedroom.

Access to the site would be from Stevenage Road, while details such as appearance and layout would need to be ironed out in future planning applications.

The developer would be required to pay around £6.7m towards education – including expansions of Wymondley JMI School and The Priory Secondary School – and further contributions towards other local infrastructure.