The breakdown in communications between Ascot residents and planners guiding the future of the town may take some time to heal a leading councillor has admitted.

This follows an angry meeting of the Royal Borough yesterday when a petition signed by 1,287 people was presented, demanding a rethink of plans to take land on either side of the High Street out of the green belt for housing.

Vicky Grimes, who presented the petition, said: "This indiscriminate approach to new housing shows a lack of due consideration for the daily realities of living and doing business in Ascot."

The petition mentioned concerns about gridlock in the High Street if 350 new houses are built and demands that the authority leave the land in the green belt and not include it for housing in the local plan.

Councillors - including those from the Ascot wards - rejected the petition.

Cllr David Hilton put the blame for the residents' anger firmly at the door of the consortium of landowners and developers involved in the plan - housebuilder Bloor Homes, Ascot Racecourse, the Crown Estate and Ascot Car Parks.

At a consultation meeting in December held by the consortium at Ascot Racecourse, members of the public were not allowed to ask questions and the figure of 350 homes was banded about - leading to outrage and the petition.

Cllr Hilton admitted that he and his fellow councillors were furious at what happened - and blamed the consortium for turning the public against the plan for change.

He said: "I read the Riot Act to them and told them they had to fundamentally change their attitude or I would support the petition."

He and fellow councillors believed the disastrous meeting transformed public opinion about hopes for a new community hub on the open land adjoining the High Street with new houses, trees and open spaces.

They had envisaged a long term strategy that would see 300 houses gradually appearing as individual planning applications were considered on their merits.

After the meeting Cllr Hilton said it was vital to get the people back on board again but he admitted: "I don't think some people will be speaking to me for a while."