Controversial proposals for housing in a village near Bridgnorth have been approved despite calls for them to be thrown out.

The outline proposals are to develop the land adjoining a property called The Cedars in Highley, currently the base of a light haulage company.

Details about the number of homes and the size or scale of the development have yet to be revealed and still have to be approved by county planners.

Residents objected to the plans and 77 villagers signed a petition against them but they were approved at a recent planning meeting.

Seven written objections were also received with concerns the site would be cramped, there would be overlooking and noise issues and it would be out of keeping with the village.

Highley Parish Council also opposed the site being developed. It says the village has filled its housing quota.

The report to the committee said: “This outline planning application relates to an allocated housing site in the adopted Bridgnorth District Local Plan, which forms part of the development plan, and this designation is binding on Shropshire Council.”

The site layout and house type drawings supplied with the application showed 43 homes but the report said these were for illustrative purposes only and were not approved as part of a grant of outline permission.

The precise number of homes and their design will be the subject of a future application to Shropshire Council. Shropshire councillor Mary Nicholls, who did not vote on the application, said: “The SAMDev requirements for Highley have been released and the three sites in the village, each for a small size development, could be expect to produce 100 properties.

“Development of 33 properties per site would see Highley meet its housing requirements, once those sites are developed.

“It also states 300 householders are looking for homes in Highley but only 10 per cent of those actually live in the village, with many coming in from the Black Country and Kidderminster.

“The recent application in Broseley was exactly the same as Highley.

“It already has a large percentage of band ‘A’ properties.

“It’s a lovely village that’s becoming more attractive for people to retire to, with a faster growth in Highley for that age group than anywhere else in Shropshire.”