Warfield 33 homes plan refused despite approval in 2019

Designs for 33 homes at Herschel Grange in Warfield were nodded through by Bracknell Forest Council’s planning committee in December 2019.

But the proposals were re-assessed last night (February 11) after a lengthy legal wrangle resulted in the council admitting it had made ‘failings’ in judging the plan.

However, a council planning officer recommended the proposals should be approved again despite the site being based in the countryside outside of land designated for housebuilding.

Maggie Stok, a local resident speaking against the plans, said: “What right do we have to harm beauty that we inherit?

“Let our children enjoy it too.

EXPLAINED: Why plans for 33 homes in Warfield were reconsidered

“This site is countryside, outside settlements and protected from development by policy.

“It is not in the local plan and not in the Warfield Neighbourhood Plan.

“It is not intended for housing, we don’t need it.”

33 homes will be built after gettting council approval

An agent speaking on behalf of the applicant hit back, however, stating: “Nobody denies the development will have some impact.

“But every aspect of those alleged impacts is scrutinised in detail in the officer’s report.

“It concludes those impacts are not significant.

“They been assessed by the highways officer, landscape officer, tree officer, ecology officer, heritage advisor, environmental health and local flood authority and they all conclude these proposals are acceptable.”

READ MORE: Controversial plans for 33 homes in Warfield approved

The application attracted opposition from 33 local residents and a letter of objection from the Warfield Village Action Group.

And the proposal stirred a number of councillors, including Warfield representatives Ankur Bhandari and Gareth Barnard, who spoke against the development.

Following a debate, a majority of councillors voted down a move to approve the plans before rallying to refuse the proposals, marking a complete u-turn from the committee’s 2019 decision.

Councillors Robert Angell, Dale Birch, Michael Brossard, Colin Dudley, Pauline McKenzie, Thomas Parker and Mike Skinner voted in favour of the plans.

33 homes will be built after gettting council approval

READ MORE: Plans for 305 homes in Warfield approved

Councillors Gareth Barnard, Ankur Bhandari, Patricia Brown, Michael Gbadebo, Dorothy Hayes, Peter Heydon, Isabel Mattick, Tina McKenzie-Boyle, Ray Mossom and Tony Virgo voted against the plans.

The planning committee threw out the designs at a meeting on Thursday, February 11.