Plans for a huge development by the A444 near Coventry have got the green light after developers appealed a council ruling. A business park and up to 73 homes on old green belt land off Wilsons Lane now have the go-ahead despite "considerable" objections by locals.

Coventry City Council will also have to pay L&Q estates' appeal costs, a government inspector ruled in decisions made earlier this month. More details, known as 'reserved matters,' for the development are likely to be sent in to the council for approval next year.

The major scheme is on land mostly in Nuneaton and Bedworth and got permission from the borough council there last March (2022.) But Coventry council's planning committee almost unanimously rejected the application covering the part within the city last October.

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It came after hundreds living nearby signed petitions against the scheme, claiming it would be "out of scale" and "inappropriate" for the area. The councillors' decision, however, was against the recommendation of council officers to give plans approval.

And a government inspector looking into the scheme disagreed with the council on two main reasons it turned the scheme down. The first was road safety concerns over business park employees being dropped off and picked up on two residential roads, Wilsons Lane and Old Farm Lane.

Evidence from a transport assessment and a lack of objections from highways bodies - not disputed by the council - had "significant weight" as a consideration, he said. Data shows at most 15 people per hour are likely to travel to work in this way and would likely use the industrial area's main access point, he added.

They were also happy that enough parking for employees and a drop off/pick up zone could be secured when further details of the plans go in for approval. On people's living conditions, he said that the level of car movements on these roads from employees being dropped off "will not be excessive, if at all."

Noise nuisance via car door slamming would be unlikely - "an extreme occurance" - while other impacts would likely affect homes outside the council boundaries and could be dealt with through planning conditions anyway. The council's environment protection officer also had no objections, which had "significant weight" in the balance, the inspector said.

For these reasons the scheme would not harm people's living conditions or road safety, he concluded. His decision report did refer to the large number of people who weren't happy with the scheme.

"I have had regard to the considerable number of objections received from local residents and others, including local councillors as part of this appeal," he said. Air quality, fire safety and the "principle of development" were some of the things raised - but these were all considered by Coventry council last year and not included in reasons why the application was turned down.

"Whilst I can understand the concerns of the interested parties, there is no compelling evidence before me that would lead me to come to a different conclusion to the Council on these matters," he added. As well as granting the scheme planning permission, the inspector also ordered the council to pay the full costs of the developer's appeal.

Councils are allowed to go against officer advice on applications but they must give clear reasons and evidence, he noted. While the council did give clear and specific reasons to turn the plans down and a statement to back this up, their evidence wasn't as strong as the developers.

"The application subject of this appeal has benefitted from a substantial amount of supporting technical evidence, which resulted in the support of the planning application from the Council’s professional officers," the inspector said.

"I accept that local knowledge is also important in the determination of planning applications, but given the technical evidence has been produced by suitably qualified authorities, and in the absence of equivalent evidence to the contrary on the part of the Council, I have given this significant weight." He also referred to a planning condition agreed that would deal with one of the council's reasons for refusal - such an outcome "risks an award of costs" under planning guidance.

Overall he found that "unreasonable behaviour by the council, resulting in unnecessary expense" had been shown, making a full award of costs justified. Adrian Clack, Managing Director at L&Q Estates, said the scheme will provide "much-needed new housing and employment."

He also said the company had listened to the concerns of residents during the application process. "We are pleased to have received outline planning permission for this site off Wilsons Lane which will provide much-needed new housing and employment in the area," he said.

"During the consultation, we reduced the eaves heights of the buildings in the two employment areas and relocated the access. "The site is perfectly situated for businesses involved in the logistics sector due to its proximity to the M6, which will help in turn to provide valuable employment opportunities and economic growth."

A Coventry City Council spokesperson said: "When an application is refused then the applicant has the right of appeal. "The Planning Inspector has allowed the appeal in this instance and awarded costs to the applicant.

"We do not know an amount as their claim has not yet been submitted."