villagers who have been objecting to a proposed housing development in Cradley are angry that a Herefordshire Council committee has assessed the plans merits before the end of a consultation period.

Parish council clerk Patricia Courtney said they were astounded that a planning application for five large houses with garages at the rear of Oakdale, in Chapel Lane, had gone before the committee on Wednesday, two days before the consultation period ends.

She said: "Herefordshire Council are ruining this village with all the new developments and in this case they're going against their own policies. We don't want these massive houses in Cradley, they're not in keeping with the area and there's a problem with the sewerage as well."

Pete Martens, committee manager for the council, said the reason for the overlap in timing was to ensure that the plans were assessed within the eight-week period laid down in government guidelines.

He said: "People will still be heard if they put their objections in. The fact that it went to a planning meeting will not affect that."

Mr Marten said officers had been delegated with powers to review the application in light of any further objections and if anything controversial arose the matter would return for further inspection at the next committee. The application from Stourbridge-based Dexvale Ltd had been recommended for approval.

Planning officer Kevin Bishop confirmed that councillors had been "minded to approve" the application but that a final decision had been delegated to officers and would be subject to any incoming objections.