Plans for 42 new homes to be built on part of Winkfield’s countryside would “destroy” the character of the area, according to one resident.

The majority of the buildings planned for development at White Gates, Mushroom Castle, Winkfield Row would be 3-bed homes, with more than a quarter being 2-bed dwellings and 20 per cent being 4 bed or one bed.

And comments submitted to the council from neighbouring resident Andrew Morrow read: “This proposal if granted, will destroy forever the character of Winkfield Row, destroy the local ecology of medieval woodland and wildlife, and will be an unsavoury tipping point of planning.

“The 42 dwellings crammed into a part of green land beside medieval woods, simply put, cannot fit into this space, the additional baggage of traffic, amenities, population, 'affordable housing will destroy the rural character.

“This will forever destroy the local ecology. This is morally disgusting. Local amenities are at capacity, local schools are full, where exactly do the planners expect these issues to be managed? It is wrong, I object robustly.”

A report read: “The design intention is to create an attractive neighbourhood with homes and open spaces that provide a valuable and sustainable contribution to the proposed and existing community at Winkfield Row”.

However, the site where the 42 dwellings would be built is on an area of land which has not been designated for house building.

A pre-application report from the council read: “The site lies beyond the current settlement boundary in an area of countryside where new residential development is contrary to development plan policy. However, the site relates well to the existing settlement, adjoining it on 2 sides…

“The proposed development of this site offers an opportunity to provide additional housing (including affordable housing) in a manner which represents a natural rounding off of the settlement and which can provide pedestrian and cycle links through to Carnation Hall and Chavey Down Road, securing future residents’ access to existing facilities.”

A public exhibition for the plans was held in December 2018 and feedback from the event was “mixed”, according to a report, with some saying “that there were too many houses or they didn’t want to see any flats”.

A planning application outlined that the site is known to be contaminated and a contamination report showed there was a moderate risk of asbestos at the site.

The number of car parking spaces planned for the site is 92.

Plans have been submitted to the council and the planning application is now pending consideration. So far one objection comment has been received.

If it receives more than five objections the council’s planning committee will vote on whether to approve the application.