Plans for more than 70 new homes on the edge of a Somerset beauty spot have been refused by planning officers.

Rubix Land Ltd put forward plans in early-April for deliver 73 homes on Orchard Lea in Wells, very close to the southern edge of the Mendip Hills national landscape (formerly area of outstanding natural beauty, or AONB).

The land promoter – which is currently fighting an appeal over 40 new homes in Evercreech – argued that the development was in close proximity to numerous local facilities and would help to ease Somerset's housing crisis.

But Somerset Council has given the plans the cold shoulder, arguing they will do "substantial harm" to the character of the Mendip Hills and "erode the open rural setting" of the city.

The site lies at the northern edge of the city, bordered on three sides by residential development and within walking distance of The Blue School on Kennion Road.

Access would have been primarily from Orchard Lea, with additional pedestrian accesses being delivered onto Merlin Drive and Milton Lea.

Of the 73 homes planned for the site, 28 would have been affordable – the equivalent of 40 per cent, with the majority being offered as social rent.

A spokesperson for OG Group (representing the applicant) said: "The site is situated on Wells' northern edge, accessible from Orchard Lea, and located within a mature residential neighbourhood near schools, green spaces and pedestrian pathways.

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"The location enjoys good connectivity through local bus routes, Wells bus station and major roads like the A371 and A39. Existing footpaths and quiet streets support walking and cycling.

"Schools, parks, healthcare, employment hubs, and Wells city centre are all within walking distance, making it a highly sustainable area for new housing."

The council refused permission through the delegated powers of its planning officers, rather than a public decision by its planning committee east (which handles major applications within the former Mendip area).

Bill Cotton, the council's interim service director for planning, identified six reasons for refusal – namely:

• The development would result in "the urbanisation of an elevated and visually prominent greenfield site" on the edge of the Mendip Hills, causing "substantial harm" to the landscape character and "eroding the open rural setting of Wells"
• The developer has provided "insufficient information" on how local bat populations would be protected, along with other wildlife within the Underwood Complex local wildlife site
• The developer has "failed to demonstrate" that the development would provide the ten per cent biodiversity net gain which is enshrined in planning law
• The plans do not contain a "viable and deliverable means" of handling surface water drainage, including improvements to Wessex Water's sewer network, resulting in "uncertainty" about the risk of localised flooding
• The development would result in increased traffic congestion by using "unsuitable" roads of "restricted width and poor alignment"
• No draft Section 106 agreement has been provided, meaning the council cannot legally secure contributions towards affordable housing, education, health facilities, public transport or local play areas

Rubix Land has not yet indicated whether it intends to appeal the council's decision.