“Tragedy built on a travesty” is how one neighbour described plans to build up to 42 houses in the countryside by Winkfield Row.

Vanderbilt Strategic gained permission to build the homes in a meadow just behind the village, in a Bracknell Forest Council planning committee meeting on Thursday, September 14. But villagers say the plans would ruin an area of the open countryside that should be protected.

At the meeting, Paul Compton of Carnation Drive appealed to councillors to refuse planning permission. He said: “To approve this application would be a tragedy built on a travesty. There have been 112 objections, but no one seems to be listening.”

Adding: “The design is solely for the purpose of establishing the right to build for profit. This may be legal, but it is not moral or ethical.

“There would be a massively detrimental impact on the character of the area. Many house names would become ironic. Meadow View, with no meadow in view. Brockgate Cottage, with no brocks.”

He added: “Is this not the unpleasant and unacceptable face of capitalism? Please be a local government by the people and for the people – reject this application.”

But speaking on behalf of Vanderbilt, Mr Pugsley argued the development would bring “a number of benefits” to the area.

He said this included “a new area of public open space,” and that at least 35 per cent of the new homes would be marketed as “affordable.”

He added: “Significantly, the proposed scheme will assist in meeting the borough’s shortfall of housing provision – and in a sustainable location.”

READ MORE: Villager ‘devastated’ if homes allowed in Winkfield

The application was only for “outline permission” – meaning councillors will have to give further approval to more detailed plans for the design and layout of the houses.

But some councillors wanted to see more detail before giving the scheme the go-ahead. Councillor Gareth Barnard worried the development would kill off a protected oak tree on site – despite assurances it could avoid being damaged.

And councillor Stephen O’Regan said developers should “work much harder” to come up with alternative plans that don’t involve building a new access road on current meadow land.

Other councillors felt they had to follow planning officers’ recommendations to approve the plans. Officers said they wouldn’t normally allow development on countryside land.

But they said the council’s lack of new housing supply over the next five years – and the fact the council had earmarked the land in a draft 15-year housing plan – tipped the balance in favour of approval.

The committee was evenly split – with five votes in favour and five against. But the chairman councillor Tricia Brown, cast the ruling vote in favour.