PLANS for the latest phase of a housing development in Cross Inn have been approved by councillors despite being recommended for refusal by planners over fears too many homes are being built in the village.

The scheme for eight more homes on the site of Cae John, which has been before Ceredigion County Council’s planning committee twice already, was approved earlier this month.

The plan will bring the number of homes on the site to 26 and Ceredigion County Council planning officers said it “represents an unsustainable form of development” as Cross Inn has the second largest over-provision of planned homes, with 27 more built or approved than the numbers laid out in the Local Development Plan.

“If all the commitments come forward Cross Inn will have more than trebled its previous number of dwellings with no increase in the already limited services,” a planning report said.

“It is the opinion of the local planning authority that the needs of the settlement has already been met by the existing development and that this development would likely encourage too large an influx of people.”­

Despite the recommendation, committee members voted to approve the scheme saying it was a “suitable site”, that there was a “demand for housing” in the area, and that the scheme would “benefit local businesses.”