A 2.4 METRE high fence will be put around part of Wellswood Park as Ilsham Church of England Primary School replaces its fencing.

The fencing will go around the part of the public open space between the existing school playground and Babbacombe Road and a 750mm high beech hedge will be planted to cover some of it.

Eleven residents wrote letters of objections and one resident, who spoke against the proposal at the meeting of Torbay Council's development control committee, said: "This whole project is for the benefit of one section of the community who have a limited time in the area, while the impact is detrimental to the residents of Wellswood who are there every day, every year."

But the Reverend Gordon Pearcy, from St Matthias Church, spoke in favour of the fencing saying: "The school has been serving the community since 1871 and continues to do so on a very restrictive and cramped site."

Cllr Matthew Phillips, who felt he could not support the application, feared the fence was a 'precursor to development on the green'.

This recommendation was turned into a third condition as the committee voted in favour of the fencing.