OBJECTORS have vowed to continue fighting what they say is a ‘major industrial development’ close to Churchstow, despite it winning approval from South Hams Council.

Potato farmers AJ Lidstone & Son have been given the go-ahead to build four large sheds, a house and office on a field between Bantham Cross and the village.

But objectors have described the decision to allow it within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty as ‘an affront to the whole concept of protection and preservation of AONBs’.

The new site would allow the business to expand and replace its current Galmpton base. Approving the plans by a vote of eight to four, many councillors on South Hams’ development committee felt the new site would take HGV traffic off minor roads and help secure local employment.

But following a meeting on July 21 attended by 40 local people it was decided to seek leave for a judicial review of the decision.

If granted, the lawfulness of the decision will be examined in the High Court and may even be quashed.

Objectors said the application did not ­presented real evidence to prove its benefits.

Planning permission was originally granted last April, but objectors commissioned a QC and an independent planning consultant to give their opinions, which were passed on to South Hams Council.

Final permission was delayed while the council tried to address the experts findings.

Richard Martin, one of the leading objectors, said: ‘No case has been made to make an exception to the National Planning Policy Frame-work requirement that planners should adopt a presumption to refuse planning permission

for developments within an AONB unless there are exceptional ­circumstances.

‘The proposed development to be sited on a prominent ridge within an AONB, affecting the setting of a heritage asset, is an affront to the whole concept of protection and preservation of AONBs. We feel we’re all custodians of the countryside and should do our utmost to protect AONBs.’

He said the objectors spent £14,000 on the QC and consultant.

‘It’s a prerequisite of the judicial review process that every effort’s been made to avoid going to court – we’ve more than done this,’ he said. ‘We’ll not give up and are now looking for members of the public to pledge support.’

Mr Martin also said there were issues of ‘democratic principle’ arising from the case and said he and fellow objectors will not ‘stand aside and watch national planning policy be marginalised by local planning departments’.

He added: ‘We hope that public support will come forward to help prevent significant harm being done to an AONB. Contact details are on the Churchstow website at www.churchstow-devon.co.uk.’