THERE were cheers in the council chamber on Tuesday evening as the planning committee threw out two applications to build several hundred homes in Wroughton.

Dozens of residents turned out to hear passionate pleas from local and parish councillors, along with neighbours, for the plans to be rejected.

First up was a plan by Hannick Homes to build 103 houses on empty land off Marlborough Road.

Planning officers had recommended the committee reject the proposal as it fell outside land set aside for housing in the Local Plan and would have impacted on roads but, on Monday, Labour called for it to be accepted to meet housing demand.

However, all members of the committee, including those in the Labour Party, voted to refuse planning permission much to the delight of the public gallery.

The second proposal was put forward by Ainscough for 100 homes at Berkeley Farm, which was also rejected unanimously by the committee following strong local objections.

Speaking after the result, Wroughton parish councillor Steve Harcourt said: “We are delighted that the committee chose to reject these applications.

"Everyone in the village could see the land was not suitable for the development so it is pleasing that the members decided to take the advice of the planning officers.

"We are not against development by any means but we want it in the right places. That is why we are developing the neighbourhood plan which will outline where houses can be built.”

Despite the victory at planning this week, the battle over Berkeley Farm may not be over as an appeal over an earlier application has yet to be heard.

Last year Ainscough put another application for 100 homes at the site, which was also rejected.

An agent representing Ainscough said: “There is no good reason to reject this application. Swindon is behind on its five-year housing supply. Many of developments included in the plan have not even been submitted for planning permission.”

The inferred threat it would simply pass through appeal even if the council rejected it prompted anger from some councillors, with Toby Elliott (Con, Priory Vale), the cabinet member for strategic planning, retorting that the agent should show more humility when addressing the committee.

He said: "The attitude of the developer towards elected councillors, residents, planning officers and our adopted policies was completely wrong; they completely misjudged the mood of the room.

"The council and I want to work with communities and developers to provide high quality affordable housing for all; this approach was an example of what not to do.

"The development was outside town boundary, not in the Local Plan for housing and not in Wroughton's Neighbourhood Plan which clearly indicates where the community want sufficient housing to go."

However, prior to the meeting, Labour councillor Jim Robbins (Mannington and Western) said: “With Swindon consistently failing to meet the number of housing completions that have been committed to in the five-year housing land supply, this application will only eventually get approved by the Secretary of State."

Despite the claims, the council have long stood by their decision, and the recently adopted Local Plan, and have said they will fight the development.