A PARCEL of land left to a village by a reclusive spinster is set to be turned into new homes.

Plans have been approved by Teignbridge Council's development control committee for two new homes to be built on land belonging to the late Molly Coombe, of Bishopsteignton.

Councillors expressed some surprise that, despite a storm of local opposition, no one had attended to speak publicly on the controversial matter.

The homes plan is for land off Flow Lane which belonged to life-long village resident Miss Coombe, who died in February 2007.

She bequeathed virtually her whole estate to Bishopsteignton Museum, a total of £1,572,376.

One of her last wishes was to have the museum housed in her own home but it was scuppered by legal and planning constraints.

Plans for a new museum building and three homes, needed to help fund the project, went to planners earlier this year.

The museum was approved but the homes plan was thrown out.

The executors of her estate went back to the drawing board and came up with the new homes application which was recommended for approval at the meeting.

Ahead of the committee meeting there was a public meeting in Bishopsteignton to discuss how the Flow Lane land could be protected from development.

Residents said they did not want the homes or the museum built, and the land should be kept as a village amenity.

At the meeting, Bishopsteignton Councillor Alun Williams urged objections against the homes to be submitted before it was considered by planners.

In the last week the council received seven letters of objection, but no one attended the meeting to articulate levels of local feeling.

The executors of Miss Coombe's estate or the agent behind the application, David Lovell of Exeter-based Mulberry Architectural Services Ltd, also did not attend the meeting to speak.

Mr Williams said: "I am surprised no one is here."

He proposed refusal based on the land being overdeveloped, the loss of amenity space and it would have an adverse impact on the area.

Development control committee chairman Councillor Howard Milton said he was 'rather surprised' there were no public speakers given the 'comments already made' publicly.

Referring to the row over what should happen with Miss Coombe's estate, he said: "It plays no part in the decision over this planning application.

"The reasons for refusal would not hold up at appeal."

Councillor Sylvia Russell said: "I tend to agree: we would be on very shaky ground."

A proposal to refuse the application was lost before it was approved by 14 votes to seven.