Kingsteignton councillors have hammered out a last-minute plan to overturn outline planning permission for 640 homes, new roads and other major changes in the town.

They have done so despite being warned that failure might bankrupt the town.

On Wednesday night, following a lengthy and often bad tempered debate, they decided to write to the Secretary of State Eric Pickles MP and ask that he review last month's decisions by district councillors to give Sibelco the right to develop huge areas of worked out clay pits.

Devon County Council had earlier said it would challenge the planning permissions because it believed the deal offered by the minerals firm would leave the town's school struggling to cope with the extra pupils the new homes would bring.

County Hall then unexpectedly decided not to ask for the call in

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