A plan to build a new estate of up to 79 houses has failed.

Beachcroft Land Ltd, along with Carole Ann Lindsey, John Webb and Sally Ballard launched an appeal last year against the decision by Wiltshire Council planners to turn down their plan for land on Swindon's outskirts.

They were looking to build to the west of Purton Road and north of the railway line near Sparcells but their appeal has been refused.

In their decision, planning officers said that proposed development was outside the boundary of Purton, in open countryside that was not earmarked for development in the council’s housing land strategy.

They said: “The proposal, including the provision of the new access into the site, would result in the urbanisation of this rural site which would result in harm to the local character, appearance and visual amenity of the immediate locality, including those currently enjoyed by pedestrians, cyclists and other users of this part of Old Purton Road and would result in the loss of local landscape features that are currently enjoyed.”

In their appeal the developers said: “When weighing the harm associated with the development, the site’s location outside the settlement boundary, and some limited and localised impact on landscape character, against the benefits of the proposals, the adverse impacts do not come close to significantly and demonstrably outweighing the benefits of the appeal proposals.”

After the appeal hearings in November and months of consideration, the government-appointed inspector Frances Mahoney has decided against allowing the proposal by the developers to go ahead.

She wrote: “This proposal is on an ordinary field which is not of particular landscape value in but I have set out its importance in contributing to the character and appearance of the wider edge of the countryside against the sprawling urban development of Swindon.

"The introduction of new housing onto the site, with particular regard to the impact of the new road access, would result in unacceptable urbanisation of this part of Old Purton Road and the immediate countryside edge.

“It would not protect, conserve or enhance the character of the immediate countryside locality, including the rural character of Old Purton. The level of harm to character and appearance would be considerable.”

While it is possible for the developers to take their case to the High Court, most applications are dropped when an appeal is lost.