Complex sentence: In 1988 there was plans to build a big co-op on this field but due to strong opposition the plan was dropped, however four houses were built on the land instead, though not as much land as the co-op would have taken up.
Split into simpler sentences: In 1988 there was plans to build a big Co-op on this field but due to strong opposition the plan was dropped. However four houses were built on the land instead, though not as much land as the Co-op would have taken up.