A controversial 45-home development running along the border with Bracknell has been given the green light by Wokingham Borough councillors.

The Wokingham Borough Council (WBC) planning committee met on Wednesday, August 14, to vote on plans which residents claimed have ‘no benefits for the local community’.

The site, located adjacent to Amen Corner and north of London Road in Hurst, will provide 40 per cent affordable housing, which was welcomed by councillors. The vast majority would be socially rented.

However, some members of the committee, as well as ward member for Twyford, Ruscombe and Hurst Cllr Stephen Conway, expressed some concerns about the development.

In particular, the location of the site – in a countryside field – and how this would impact the identity of the area.

Cllr Martjin Andrea said: “The visual impact is significant.

“You feel like you’re in the countryside, we don’t have many places like that in Wokingham anymore. And if you build on that site you’re not going to have the same experience.”

Cllr Sam Akhtar said although the affordable housing provision was positive, he was concerned about ‘the conflation between Bracknell Forest and Wokingham’.

Council officers said that a condition for structural landscaping would be placed on developers if given approval, so that over time, the boundary would be secured by trees.

Penny Curry from Hurst Parish Council, who has objected the application, said that there was ‘poor service’ of public transport links as well as ‘few essential services or facilities within an acceptable walking distance from the site’.

She added that WBC are ‘ignoring their own policy’ to remain separate from Binfield and Bracknell, which the site runs close to.

Bracknell Forest Council has also objected the proposal, on the grounds that it would negatively impact the ‘countryside’ feel of the area.

A representative from Amen Corner North, a new build of 377 houses, said that residents were concerned with the traffic caused by the building, which would run directly through their estate.

He added that he considered the impact on neighbours had been ‘skimmed over’ by council officers.

But Mark Owen from developers Stantec said that the site forms a ‘logical extension’ to the existing site, and reassured members that there would be less than 30 vehicles moving around the site per hour.

After debate the recommendation for approval was confirmed by councillors, with only two voting against.