Residents worried that an application for new homes at Browhill Ridge, Heathfield, is 'excessive' and will affect the development of a new school, are hoping to rally neighbours in a bid to fight the proposals.
The closure of the community hall in March and the lack of a nearby pub means finding a place in which to meet is a problem.
Midas Homes is planning to build 24 houses on the site – twice the number shown on the original plans submitted by Devon County Council – on land adjacent to that approved for the new St Catherine's School.
Musket Road resident Tracey MacMahon said: 'We knew that a small number of houses would need to be built if we wanted the school to go ahead – which we do – but these plans put forward by Midas are totally wrong for this location and will cause over-crowding.
'We need more recreational land for the community here, not less, and in addition, the traffic-calming scheme appears to be a recipe for chaos, with just one narrow lane allowing the traffic in and out. During the school run it's going to be ridiculous.'
She and others are also concerned that community access to the school's play facilities – a condition of the planning approval – will be lost as more houses swallow up land.
A planning meeting of Bovey Tracey Town Council on Monday – at which more than 50 letters of objection and a petition bearing more than 100 names were presented – resulted in unanimous support for the residents' opposition.
Cllr David Elphick said: 'We feel that it is over development of the site and my main worry is that the school footprint is smaller than originally planned – it's essential that the facility to expand remains.'
Spokesman for Midas Homes Rod Stone rejected the claims, saying that under current rules (Planning Policy Guidance 3) the company was obliged to achieve 'the best use of land'.
And in a letter presented to the Bovey council meeting the company states: 'Midas Homes have not negotiated any additional land and have worked to the site area offered at tender by Devon County Council.
'The school land remains as previously defined by the current planning consent.'
Nick Davies, of Teignbridge planning department, commented: 'The original approval for the housing development was outline planning permission and therefore didn't prescribe the exact number of properties.
'Twelve house in 1.7 acres would be considered low density under current government planning guidance.'
St Catherine's head teacher Maureen Bailey said: 'The diocese and the governors have negotiated hard to guarantee the acreage considered suitable by the Department for Education and Skills.
'The amount of land available for the new school remains at 2.5 acres and a 'footprint' for two further classrooms has been built into the design to allow for future expansion if required.'
She said that once completed the facilities such as the playing field would be available to the community to rent.
On the issue of traffic congestion, Mrs Bailey added that at the school's current site the vast majority of parents felt it necessary to use their cars for safety reasons, but that plans were already taking shape to introduce 'virtual walking buses' to the new site – expected to be operational early in 2005 – which would both reduce the level of car use and improve pupils' fitness.
The entire site – 4.2 acres of which was considered 'developable'– was purchased by Devon County Council in 2001.
Subsequently, Midas Homes won the bid to buy the land, although the deal (for an undisclosed amount) is still to be finalised as the Advertiser went to press.