The peace, quiet and wildlife of the countryside would be destroyed if councillors grant permission to build 42 new homes at Winkfield Row, neighbours fear.

Applicant Vanderbilt Strategic hopes Bracknell Forest Council’s planning committee will give its plans the go-ahead. But the council has had 72 letters from neighbours objecting to the plans.

One, Leila Moss-Kelly of Aldridge Park, said she would be “devastated” if the plans went ahead. She said: “The open fields and countryside are partly why we moved to this area.

“We need green spaces, we need nature. The new development will take this away from this area and make it noisier, busier and the roads we have simply don't support it.”

Lisa Elliot, also of Aldridge Park, fears the development would destroy habitats for wildlife. She said: “There will be a huge destructive impact on wildlife including badger set, many deer, bats, woodpeckers, butterflies and owls.

“It is beyond understanding how wonderful it is to see bats in the summer and to know that we currently live near a habitat where they can thrive.

“The additional noise and light pollution will cause disturbance and disruption to the bats, which will die when unable to settle in their home and natural habitat.”

And Tracey Webb of Simpkins Close worries that the surrounding roads and facilities won’t be able to support the new residents.

She said: “Our local facilities are heavily oversubscribed, such as dentists, doctors and it is not in a sustainable location i.e., it is not within reasonable walking distance of these amenities.”

READ MORE: More new houses proposed for Amen Corner in Binfield

The planned development would be built on a field just behind Aldridge Park in Winkfield Row, and just off a road called Mushroom Castle.

Council planning officers acknowledge that the site is considered to be countryside, meaning they would usually not grant permission for development there. But they are recommending that councillors approve the application.

This is because the land is identified as a suitable site for housing in the council’s emerging Local Plan – a vision for development across the borough over the next 15 years that looks set to soon be approved.

The officers also say that, as the council cannot show it will be able to provide an adequate supply of new housing over the next five years, this tilts the balance in favour of approval.

They also argue that, as the new development would be directly next to Winkfield Row, it would form a “natural rounding off” of the village’s boundaries.

The council’s planning committee is set to debate and vote on the proposal on Thursday, September 14.

  • An earlier version of this article incorrectly named Elivia Homes - formerly known as Vanderbilt - as the developers. In fact Elivia has no connection to the plans and the applicant is Vanderbilt Strategic, a separate company.