Councillors are set to make a decision on controversial plans to build 67 homes along the A46 in Warwick this week.

Warwick District Council's (WDC) planning committee had been due to discuss the plans for Goggbridge Lane in March, but the decision on Taylor Wimpey's planning application was deferred.

The postponement was made so more clarity can be provided on the drainage strategy for the proposed development.

But now it will go before the committee on Thursday (April 18), with council planners recommending the scheme be given the go ahead.

If approved, the homes will be built on a parcel of land currently earmarked for employment use.

A report to be discussed by councillors considered the loss of employment land was "justified" and there was "no reasonable prospect" of it being put to such use.

"An alternative use can therefore be considered and officers are of the opinion that the development of this site for housing is an appropriate and acceptable use of the site," the report added.

"The scheme has been amended since the previously refused application and it is considered that the current proposal provides a betterment in terms of the standard of living conditions for future occupiers, specifically with regards to noise, natural light and outlook.

"While there would still be impacts on the end users in relation to these considerations due to the proximity of the A46 and the necessary mitigation measures, it is considered that these impacts have now been mitigated to an acceptable extent."

The new estate has already been refused planning permission once, with councillors last year rejecting plans for 69 houses on the same site.

At the time, WDC officers had again recommended the plans be signed off, but councillors were unanimous in rejecting the plans, listing concerns over noise, air pollution, a lack of open space, flood risk and insufficient justification for changing the use from employment land.

Since then Taylor Wimpey has refined the proposal, submitting this fresh application for 69 homes, before reducing this down to 67.

New plans state the developer has taken on feedback from the planning committee and made changes to the application.

In particular the scheme includes a noise assessment and discussion of plans to mitigate noise on the site.

A Taylor Wimpey spokesperson said: "Following feedback from the local community and key stakeholders and since the planning refusal, we have spent the past 12 months preparing a full redesign of the proposed development located off Goggbridge Lane in Warwick. 

"The redesign addresses all of the previous objections raised by the local community and we have worked closely with both Warwick District Council and Warwickshire County Council to present a significantly improved development.

"We welcome the opportunity to discuss the revised proposals with local councillors, Warwick Town Council and residents to address any concerns they may still have."

But the latest application has not been met with favour across the board, with Warwick Town Council yet again objecting to the scheme.

"The town council maintains its objection from the previous application on the ground[s] of overdevelopment of the site," the objection notice said.

"The town council also objects on the ground that the proposed development does not provide acceptable standards of amenity for future occupiers in terms of noise and poor air quality due to the proximity of the A46.

"Mitigation measures are not sufficient to overcome this."

Other objections have also bee submitted by WDC's green space team, housing strategy team and by Warwickshire County Council landscape.

See the full plans here.