Residents of two streets in Rodbourne who attended Swindon Borough Council’s planning committee meeting to try and persuade members to vote against the building of two new houses left disappointed.

The plans of the owners of a house in Barnfield Close, a Mr and Mrs Smedley, to build two terraced houses on green land immediately adjoining their property were approved by one vote – eight for and seven against.

But residents of both that street and of Mannington Park, whose houses back on to the empty plot were very concerned.

Some were worried that the new buildings, which would extend the short terraced street, would block out the sun from their gardens, and others that they would be overlooked in their properties.

There was concern by some councillors that the drawing submitted as part of the plans did not include all the buildings in the street, including two garages to be demolished and also the Travelodge Hotel and Starbucks cafe recently built there.