Plans to build two homes on the site of a Prestwood pub were given the green light last night after they were hauled in front of the council for the third time.

Chiltern District Council’s planning committee gave the nod to Punch Tavern’s proposals to demolish a garage next to the Green Man Pub in High Street and built a set of semi-detached homes.

Original proposals were previously scrapped by the council after fears were raised that the two homes would make the site cramped.

A council report published on April 28 said council officers “negotiated a revised layout” with Punch Taverns, which will see homes moved back and further away from protected trees.

However, some councillors remained sceptical, with councillor Jane MacBean, saying the plans seem to “get worse” each time they are presented to the committee.

Speaking at yesterday’s meeting, Cllr MacBean said: “This is one of those tragic cases where my heart tells me this is over development of this site, and if it was for a single dwelling it could sit quite nicely in the space.

“My head tells me we are going on to very thin ground to refuse this. This is not ideal, they moved it back.

“They have produced amenity space which is never a good thing, now we have the bulk of house sitting behind the existing houses.

“You just go from pillar to post really, it just seems to get worse every time we look at this. Not ideal.”

A statement read out on behalf of councillor for Prestwood and Heath End, John Gladwin, who called for the proposals to be presented to the committee, urged councillors to refuse the development due to its “overbearing impact”.

However, Cllr Peter Jones added: “We can’t really say now there is too little space in the back gardens as the houses have been moved back.

“I think the officers have been right here and we should just say we don’t like it but we have to have it.”

Councillors approved the plans.