The council refused two controversial planning applications that had deeply concerned Binfield and Sandhurst residents last week.

A large care home was planned for development in Binfield and two new homes were set to get the go ahead in the beer garden of the Rose and Crown pub in Sandhurst but councillors turned down the proposals.

The care home application was rejected because councillors deemed it to be too large and out of character with the surrounding area.

There was also concerns regarding the impact the development would have on the environment and worries about the development not catering to the needs of pedestrians and cyclists.

The application for the 12 bedroom care home, which would have housed mental health patients, had received 35 letters of objection from residents who were concerned about the potential anti-social behaviour of the home’s occupants.

Binfield Parish Council recommended the council refused the application, despite the NHS writing a letter of support to the council for a mental health care home in Bracknell.

Councillors also denied the building of two new homes in the beer garden of the Rose and Crown pub in Sandhurst over concerns regarding the safety of customers.

The planning committee concluded that the development would be unsafe for those walking through the busier car park, and also stated that the building would put further pressure on the surrounding environment.

Prior to the decision residents had claimed that the building of the homes was a ‘trojan horse’ for the closure of Sandhurst’s oldest remaining pub.

One objector claimed that if the council had approved the application, they would have signed its “death warrant”.

However the council did approve a controversial application to build 242 flats in Bracknell town centre despite previous concerns over the poor daylight levels some apartments would receive.

The application had been refused earlier in the year but changes to the proposals, including four fewer apartments but more one and two bedroom flats.

Councillors approved the application subject to various planning conditions the builders must meet.

The planning committee also approved an application of a three bedroom house in Owlsmoor, as well as proposals to convert a barn into five homes.