Plans for 135 newbuild homes on greenbelt land outside the gates of Prince Edward ‘s sprawling estate have been forced through by the government

The proposed development in Bagshot, Surrey, was blocked last year but following an appeal by developers, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Raynor intervened

The project sparked a wave of objections, including local anger at green belt land being used for development, and the plans were thrown out by Surrey Heath Borough Council’s planning committee on May 23.

The committee argued the plans ‘undermined’ the council’s aim of only developing on brownfield sites.

But in an extraordinary turn of events this month, the Planning Inspectorate, hired by Ms Rayner, Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, accepted an appeal by Somerston and the plans were waved through.

Explaining the decision, which followed two site visits in January and two meetings, one of which was virtual, Mrs H Nicholls revealed that not only had the plans been accepted but the site, which was greenbelt, had been re-classed as ‘grey belt’ – meaning it was previously developed or is considered ‘low quality’ green belt land.

‘This means that all of the green belt in the borough is now up for grabs’, councillor Richard Wilson warned.

In her letter, the Planning Inspector wrote: ‘The appeal is allowed and planning permission is granted for development of up to 135 homes, including a minimum 50 per cent affordable homes, with associated landscaping, parking, open space, play areas.

‘The construction of a new vehicular access on to Grove End serving the proposed new dwellings; configuration of the existing vehicular access serving the Windlesham Golf Club; and all other associated development works.’

Dave and Jeanette Jones have lived in their home near Bagshot station, a stone’s throw from the proposed development, for 12 years

They claim the former green belt site has been part of a land grab

Dave and Jeanette Jones have lived in their home near Bagshot station, a stone’s throw from the proposed development, for 12 years.

Dave said: ‘Over 130 houses, no more doctors, no more schools. Angela Rayner can override everything. If the council is opposed to having anything built, they [Labour] can come in like a dictatorship and say “we are building”.

‘I don’t think the government should be allowed to ride rough shoulder over what councils want to do. They are going to build houses in greenbelt areas.

‘Since Covid if you want to see a doctor you have to phone up or use the app, if they think it is important enough, you’ll see someone. If not, forget it. It’s the same in a lot of places. Everything has got worse since the pandemic.

‘Do we worry as individuals? I do for the younger people more than us as we are getting on. Starmer don’t give a s**t about England, his right hand woman don’t give a s**t about England.’

Jeanette added: ‘You can do all these petitions but it doesn’t mean anything to Labour anymore. We have one doctor for the whole estate.

‘We are worried about the traffic. I came from Ireland 56 years ago and I have seen such a terrible change.’

Concern over stretched local amenities was echoed by Nicola Dean, another local resident, who spoke to MailOnline while out walking her dog.

She explained that while there is a desperate need for new homes, such developments should be forced to build additional amenities to ease local demand.

The woman said: ‘The issue I believe is infrastructure: doctors, schools, roads, it’s the bigger picture. That little patch of development won’t necessarily make a difference, but it’s the seven other patches over the last few years which do.

‘I don’t see any thought around infrastructure. Who is making sure that is adequately maintained while all this is being built? There won’t be another doctor in Bagshot.

‘You can’t restrict the population but what can you control? You can control the infrastructure and that should be the focus.’

Developers Somerston said the 135-home development would ‘create a new, landscape-led, mixed use neighbourhood with a rural village feel’ with an ‘in a highly sustainable and appropriate edge of settlement location’.

Despite Surrey Heath Council having achieved its housing supply aims, Somerston claimed the project would ‘bring forward much needed affordable housing to the area – providing local homes for local people’.

But locals say they are growing increasingly concerned about the number of what they deem unnecessary developments which are thrown out by the council, before getting greenlit on appeal.

It is something local Mark Gordon, Conservative councillor for Bagshot and North Windlesham Ward, recognises.

The 49-year-old, who is also the landlord of the King’s Arms pub in Bagshot, said: ‘I wasn’t in favour of the scheme but I wanted the best it could be in case it went through.

‘We sat down with them [Somerston] and went through the scheme. At the time, Surrey Heath had hit its housing supply… it wasn’t required.

‘We said from the start that Bagshot generally probably wouldn’t support it because the infrastructure wasn’t in place. But generally, most schemes of this size would go through on appeal even though it has been turned down.’

Mr Gordon came off the planning committee during the Somerston application but noted a trend of developments across the Bagshot area which have been accepted on appeal.

He pointed to dozens of newbuild homes on Chapel Lane and the bulldozing of the famous Jack’s Fish & Chips, now a supported living block for the elderly, as examples.

‘Local people feel we have had a lot of pain rather than gain with developments’, he said.

Ian, an arborist who has lived in his home directly next to the proposed site for 49 years, objected to the plans but admitted he’s not overly concerned about the disruption the construction will cause him.

Local pub landlord Mark Gordon has noticed a trend of new developments in the area

Locals say they are growing increasingly concerned about the number of what they deem unnecessary developments

But he told MailOnline he is angry about how the planning process has been handled and the motivations for homebuilding.

He explained: ‘They send it to appeal and the inspector just pushes it through. They are not interested in our generation, our people, or the village.

‘It was greenbelt, they have turned it into what they call grey belt. This government just pleases themselves and do what they want. They are only doing it because all of these immigrants coming into this country.

‘I’m too old in the tooth to worry about the construction to be honest, if it goes ahead, it goes ahead, I’m not going to get stressed about it. We certainly wouldn’t move. I would say we would move once it’s done.

‘I’ve been very conflicted about the whole thing, people have to live somewhere. The biggest problem everyone will find around here is traffic.’

Somerston Development Projects Ltd previously said of the site: ‘Although the land is currently in the green belt, it is on the edge of Bagshot, very well connected to public transport and local services, as well as close to the M3. Not all of Surrey Heath’s housing can be accommodated within existing urban areas or on brownfield land, and Somerston believe that land at Grove End can deliver a valuable part of this growth in a sustainable and sensitive manner.’

Somerston Development Projects Ltd and Surrey Heath Borough Council were approached for comment.