PERMISSION has been granted to build 26 new homes on the site of a former farm in Hornby, despite a wave of objection from villagers.

Lancaster City Council has approved plans by The Hills Erwin Partnership to create new 14 houses with garages and eight flats on the Strands Farm site, Station Road, at the southern end of the village.

The houses will be built in the style of traditional farm buildings around a central courtyard.

Existing traditional stone farm buildings will also be converted into four one-bedroom affordable homes.

The village parish council had objected to the height of the three-storey buildings at the back of the site, and the city council had received 21 letters against the scheme, arguing against the number of houses and various aspects of the design.

Development control manager David Hall said some of the concerns about the design and style had been overcome with the condition that all buildings should be made of stone and slate.

He said the council did not think the height of the three-storey buildings at the back of the site was inappropriate in this location.

Permission was also granted for one commercial unit to be built at the same time as the houses, which will be marketed for a range of possible uses, for one year, to see if there is a demand for workshop and office space in the village - as the council believes.

At the same meeting, an outline application for five further commercial units was approved to keep it alive while developers test market interest in the first built unit.