‘Disastrous’ plans to build 12 homes next to a medieval monument in the Winkfield countryside are finally set to be given the go-ahead months after they were originally set for approval.

Developers have been waiting to get permission for a dozen homes to go up on green belt land at Moat Farm since April 2019.

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The plans were set to be given the nod at a council meeting in February but were delayed so officers could investigate the proposal further.

Three months later and the designs look set to rubber-stamped after officers from Bracknell Forest Council (BFC) recommended the plans should be approved despite the site being green belt land.

This issue has been a cause of concern for several residents who are unhappy about the 12 homes going up ‘outside a settlement area’ — despite the proposed number of houses being reduced from 14.

Almost four dozen neighbours sent objections to BFC from May 2019 to February 2020.

One wrote in December 2019: “The proposed twelve houses are totally out of character with the rest of the village.

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“It cannot be wise to add to the traffic at the Maidens Green crossroad with its fortnightly accident rate.

“In short, this proposal will have a disastrous effect on our village and must be totally rejected.”

Despite this, planning officers have waved away concerns about building on the green belt because the land has already been developed.

A four-by-four car repair business currently occupies the site and it is considered the new homes would not have a greater impact on the openness of the countryside than the current use.

The two barns and other buildings sitting at Moat Farm would be demolished to make way for four detached homes and two terraces each containing four homes.

The front of the site includes part of a moat, which is a medieval scheduled monument.

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Some residents raised concerns about the impact of the new houses on this site, as did Historic England, but council officers say the demolition of the existing buildings would not harm the moat.

Councillors are set to say yes to the proposal at a meeting of the planning committee on Thursday, May 21.

You can watch a livestream of the meeting by following the link here: http://democratic.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=585&MId=8947