TWO plans for nine homes to be built on protected open green space were approved by councillors last night -- despite many of them not being happy with the proposals.

The two separate designs concerned plans for six homes in Ascot and plans for three homes in Warfield.

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Erecting these nine new homes will mean some parts of green belt land are built on, which is open space protected from development by national and local planning policies.

This is because Bracknell Forest officers and councillors deemed there to be ‘special circumstances’ in which the building on green belt land could be justified.

What are these special circumstances?

For the Ascot plan, developers wanted to build six homes on land west of Prince Albert Drive.

More than three dozen objections were sent to BFC opposing this plan based on opposition to developing on the green belt amongst other reasons.

In their report, officers agreed changing agricultural land to use of a private garden would constitute ‘inappropriate development in the green belt’, but prior approval of a similar scheme for five homes from 2018 put councillors in a tricky position.

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This is because officers believe there would be no greater impact on the green belt if six homes were built rather than five, meaning it would be difficult for councillors to refuse this plan based on the impact it has on the green belt.

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Councillor Dorothy Hayes said: “I still have concerns about this but I know from the papers before us we would have extreme problems to justify refusal.

“But I still feel this is an intrusion of the green belt.”

Should the council have refused the plan, this would have given the developer the opportunity to appeal the decision — a process which can cost the authority thousands of pounds to fight.

Councillor Dale Birch added: “I am quite a passionate believer in the green belt.

"I think if this was a matter of conscience I think we would all be refusing this.

"Unfortunately it is not. It is a matter of material planning consideration."

The Warfield plan presented a similar scenario — officers believed the development would mean inappropriate development in the green belt.

Sixteen residents and Warfield Parish Council sent in objections to the plan for three homes at Nuptown Piggeries, mainly in opposition to development on green belt land.

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Nineteen residents did send in letters of support, however, suggesting new homes here would be suitable replacements for the seven vacant “eyesore” buildings currently standing at the site.

Despite officers acknowledging this plan would also mean inappropriate development in the green belt, a similar scheme for two homes at the site was approved in 2018.

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Planning experts said despite the increase in the number of homes from the previous application, there would be no increase in volume from the original application and therefore no greater impact on the greenbelt than already considered.

Like with the Ascot plan, this would mean it would be difficult for councillors to refuse this application without risking an appeal later down the line.

Councillor Tony Virgo was not pleased with the officer’s recommendation to approve.

He said: “This is a beautiful rural site.

"Our residents who believe in the green belt are pleased to have this at their disposal.

"Residents will not understand why special circumstances outweigh the impact on the green belt."

He was one of five who voted to refuse this application against twelve councillors voting in favour.

Like with the Ascot plan, this Warfield proposal was approved at a virtual council planning meeting on Thursday, April 23.