An “unsafe” road to a controversial planned housing development in Warfield was approved in a crunch vote by councillors – in a decision branded “outrageous” by angry neighbours.

Members of Bracknell Forest Council’s planning committee backed the plans by six to four – despite reservations from many and warnings from neighbours.

One neighbour told them it was “absolutely outrageous” as she left the meeting in anger after the vote.

Developers Croudace Homes had applied for permission to build a narrower access road into a planned 50-home development north of Newhurst Gardens in Warfield. They say this is because the original plans would damage protected trees on either side of the road.

But residents of Newhurst Gardens have raised several concerns – including that the road would be dangerous, with some sections of the road having space for pavement on only one side.

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Neighbour and campaigner Clive Hobbs told councillors that “chaos will follow” if sewage works need to take place after the road is built, as proposed manholes would fill the entire proposed pavement.

He said: “This – the only entrance road and footway – will be blocked with not enough space for pedestrians and vehicles to move through safely. Emergency vehicles will not be able to access the site.”

Other concerns included that visibility lines would be insufficient, that “cellweb” material used under the pavement to protect tree routes is unreliable and that rainwater would run off into a neighbour’s garage.

Mr Hobbs also noted that the council and Croudace had not yet reached an agreement about how the private road into the new estate would be managed.

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But council planning staff said highways and trees officers had not objected to the plans. And they said it was normal for the council and developers to reach legal agreements about private road management after the committee vote, as part of conditions attached to the approval.

Councillors were split over whether to back the plans. Councillor Gareth Barnard said he couldn’t vote for them. He said: “We are storing up huge problems in the long run on this site that only time will tell.”

But councillor Tricia Brown said the committee had to follow planning officers’ recommendations. She said: “We don’t have any grounds that I can see to refuse this.

“I think we have to follow the officers’ recommendations. We have to rely on the for having researched this at length repeatedly over the last few months.”

Many of those who voted for the plans said they did so “regrettably.”