Plans to build homes on a former plant nursery situated in greenbelt land were given the go ahead by the council last night.

Wycombe District Council’s planning committee backed proposals to transform Fieldgrove Nursery in Hammersley Lane into five houses following a long debate over whether the site qualified for redevelopment.

Chepping Wycombe Parish Council objected to the plans, arguing that claims the nursery was a retail business are incorrect so therefore cannot be justified as developed – or brownfield – land.

Parish councillor, Peter Miller, addressed the committee saying: “The main point of issue is first whether the site can justifiably be classed as brownfield, and secondly whether the proposed development impacts on the openness of the site.

“In regard to the first point the assertion that the primary nature of business carried out from this site was retail is incorrect. The principle business is that of an agricultural nursery and any plant sales to the public were purely incidental.

“Any argument that the site's retail status justifies that this land is previously developed, or brownfield, is incorrect. This is greenbelt land and deserves appropriate protections.”

Planning officer, Mr Nicholson, said the nursery was a mixed use site used as a wholesaler, while also selling plants to the public, which means is classed as developed land.

He said: “If the operation was purely a wholesale nursery then that is an agricultural use of the land in terms of the use classes order. The other end of the extreme would be a garden centre which would sell you cakes, cards all sorts of things as well as plants so that is the opposite end of the extreme.

“What you have got her is something which is in the middle.”