Controversial plans to build six new homes in rural Stoke-on-Trent have been rejected.

Proposals submitted to Stoke-on-Trent City Council would have seen up to six new homes built in the greenbelt on Greenway Hall Road in Baddeley Edge.

A permission in principle was submitted which is a two stage test; firstly whether the site is suitable in principle and secondly technical details.

Now it has been ruled that the site is not suitable in principle due to the reliance on cars for people living there and the fact that the development would be inappropriate in the greenbelt.

The application received 41 objections from local residents.

Speaking at the planning committee meeting resident Lisa Dudley, who was objecting to the scheme, said: "Large numbers of residents from Stockton Brook, Baddeley Edge, Baddeley Green and Milton have major concerns.

"The unacceptable impact on the open countryside and surrounding rural character of the area, the unacceptable impact on the greenbelt or even the greybelt.

"There is unsustainable pressure upon local services, there would be an impact on flooding and drainage. Perhaps most importantly there would be a negative impact on pedestrian highways regarding its safety and sustainability."

Planning officers had ruled prior to the committee meeting that the site meets the criteria for being considered greybelt.

However, officers said the site could not provide safe and suitable access for all people living there due to lack of pavement and streetlighting which would force pedestrians to walk on the road.

Cllr Ross Irving commented that there is a clear demand for housing in the city and houses in the area had been built recently.

He said: "We appear to be slightly inconsistent in this in my view. We've got a situation where you can see there have been recent developments in the last 10 to 20 years.

"We are now saying under these new regulations, which my belief was the government had brought in to actually enable planning to progress faster and quicker, would now appear in this case to be stymieing any development.