A controversial retirement development could still go ahead near a “dangerous” roundabout in Hazelmere despite concerns over road safety and the “imposing” impact it could have on neighbours.

Councillors voted to defer an application to transform six homes on Holmer Green Road - near the Hazlemere crossroads - into 34 retirement apartments at a meeting of Wycombe District Council’s planning committee on Wednesday, October 19.

Despite developers, McCarthy and Stone, stating an affordable housing contribution with this development would not be “viable”, planning chief councillor David Johncock called for a review.

He said: “I cannot believe we are not going to get an affordable housing contribution. I am concerned we are not addressing the affordable housing need.

“With a £10 - £15 million pound development I just can’t believe they can’t find the money for affordable housing.”

Ward member for Hazlemere North, cllr Ron Gaffney, strongly opposed building the flats, airing fears that increased traffic could lead to a fatality on the already busy section of road.

He said: “It is a very tricky roundabout I am never sure myself who has the right of way. It is second to the Handy Cross roundabout and you are never sure if other people understand it either.

“It is nightmare in the morning and there have been many accidents there already. It is a busy road, people use it as a rat run and school children use it. It is just not right…

“The roundabout is a very dangerous place to put it and if we did have a fatality it I would really worry be that we could have prevented it.”

The building would provide 15 one bedroom apartments and 19 two bedroom apartments with 24 parking spaces as well as a landscaped gardens – with car access being installed on Beaumont Way.

The online application received more than a dozen objections with residents questioning the need for another retirement apartment in the area, and concerns the “imposing” nature of the three storey building will overshadow its neighbours.

However representative for McCarthy and Stone, Elaine Stratford, assured that their customers tend to avoid peak traffic times and the majority are local so could potentially free up dozens of family homes in the area.

She said: “Our customers very much avoid traffic times, and our customers by their very nature don’t rise early during the traffic of employment and schools and they are not usually out at tea times when that traffic builds up for a second time…

“90 per cent of our customers in Bourne End came from the immediate local area so this could potentially release 30 three or four bedroom properties back in to the Wycombe District area for families.

“We find the other 10 per cent come back to the area having previously lived here.”

Chairman of the planning committee, cllr Paul Turner, cast the ruling vote to defer the application to review viability - although it will not return to the committee for a final decision.