PLANS for 51 houses near Chestnut Park in Kingswood have finally been approved despite opposition from the community, and the area's district councillor.

Crest Nicholson (South West) have had plans for the Chestnut Park site since 2011, in a repeated battle with the area’s residents, over 120 of which submitted objections.

A contentious decision last year from a council planning inspector allowed plans to proceed, despite the development control committee’s refusal.

On Tuesday the committee met again, after deferring the decision from October to spend more time on the decision, deciding to approve plans with numerous binding conditions.

Cllr John Marjorum, (Green, Stroud Trinity) said: “We’ve done a good batting here, and we’ve been lucky to be able dedicate so much time to the decision.

There were fears that the developers would not follow through with their promises, Chris Brine (Lab, Stonehouse), said: “We all know what developers are like, they up and leave and leave a mess behind.”

District councillors on the development control committee had originally declined the plans, citing the effect on the village, traffic on surrounding rounds and the impact on nearby great crested newts.

Harold Stephens allowed the appeal from the developers to pass, claiming plans were sustainable and had an acceptable ecological impact, a decision which council chief executive, David Hagg, derided in full force.

Councillors debated the layout of the scheme’s 15 affordable homes, the arrangements for a large net to protect houses from the nearby cricket club, and a potential footpath to the village hall.

Cllr Marjorum said at October’s meeting: “In all my 30 years on this planning committee, this makes it into the top ten of worst projects.”

They also requested play equipment which is more suited for people of all abilities, as well as the proper analysis of drainage issues.

At Tuesday’s meeting, Cllr Dave Mossman (Con, Hardwicke) said: “In principal I believe it should go ahead, but I’m sceptical it will go as planned.

“We have an opportunity here to address what people would like, I’m still unhappy and it perpetuates a bad idea.

Cllr Marjoram proposed a motion to approve the plans, seconded by Cllr Nigel Cooper (Con, Painswick and Upton), as long as landscaping was improved, the footpath to the village hall was guaranteed once 30 houses were occupied, and the materials to build the houses matched the brick of the surrounding area.

Choosing to delegate the details of the cricket net – which was debated for an hour – to officers.

Patricia Broadfoot, speaking on behalf of Kingswood’s residents said: “They have ignored the legitimate concerns of local people, they don’t care what they do to our village.

“Their approach to house building is all about profit.”

Crest Nicholson will pay a recreation contribution of £64,723 for refurbishment of the adjacent Village Hall and playing fields and £11,564 towards improving Wotton under Edge Library.

A spokesman for the company, Damien Weaver, said: “In my professional opinion all of your concerns have been met, it will deliver a high quality scheme to Kingswood.”

The decision passed by nine votes to one – the areas district councillor, Mark Reeves (Con).