BINFIELD residents have been left feeling “completely powerless” after planning inspectors from Bristol ruled a care home should be built in the village.

This comes despite Bracknell Forest Council’s (BFC) planning bosses refusing the proposal to build a 12-room mental health care home on London Road in November 2018.

Neighbour Nigel Luker told the News: “All the neighbours are very upset about the decision, there were 40 objections and yet we have no say.

“The (Borough) Council and Parish (Council) objected and we all have been overruled.

“We do not understand it, we feel completely powerless.

READ MORE: Binfield community centre to get new play area

“I totally understand if it’s a government requirement to build more care homes, but it’s just knocking down a family home and slapping a large care home on a tiny plot on an increasingly busy road, with no concern of the local residents.”

Developers CHOICE Ltd., who wanted to demolish the existing Holly Cottage before building the care home, decided to appeal BFC’s refusal in March 2019.

Since then, dozens of neighbours wrote to the Planning Inspectorate outlining their concerns over the proposal.

Many pointed to the large size of the care home, the suitability of a care home being located next to a busy road, and increased traffic from the site as reasons to throw out the plans.

BFC chucked out the proposal because it was feared the building would be an overdevelopment of the site and would be out of character with the rest of the area, as well as worries about its lack of access for cyclists and its impact on a special protection zone.

But planning inspectors ignored BFC’s refusal and residents’ concerns, claiming the design of the building “would not cause harm to the character and appearance of the area” and would not cause harm to neighbours.

This means developers are now allowed to start building work as long as a number of documents are submitted to the council demonstrating how accessibility and landscaping issues will be dealt with.

The care home is set to host mental health patients and would have eight car parking spaces, as well as a kitchen and dining room, communal lounges, laundry, office, meeting room and toilet on the ground floor.

NOW READ: Council phone line blackout sparks resident fears