THE Local Government Ombudsman has ruled that a planning officer at Cotswold District Council gave misleading information to a South Cerney man who is opposed to a housing development in the village.

Developer Redrow Homes built the Cerney on the Water housing complex at The Mallards in South Cerney, and is set to build 149 homes and community facilities to complete the project.

Residents living in Swan Close in the complex are angry that plans for the next phase of the project have been changed to allow the building of nine Lakeside homes, which will block their view of the lake.

Before the changes to the plans were made, Swan Close resident Alan Dickenson contacted a planning officer at the council and was told that application would be discussed at the council’s planning committee and that everyone that had made representations to the plans would be contacted.

But before that happened plans were approved by a Cotswold District Council (CDC) planning officer.

Mr Dickenson complained to the ombudsman that the council should have listened to residents concerns at committee  and that it failed to inform residents about its decision.

The Ombudsman ruled that the council did not break any regulations in passing the plans but misled Mr Dickenson by telling him that the plans would go to committee.

Since the decision was passed, the case officer has apologised to Mr Dickenson for misleading him and said that it accepts that they should have better informed him how the decision was made and updated him when they realised the decision would not be heard at committee.