Outline plans for the siting of gypsy and traveller pitches in Stoke Poges have been thrown out – amid concerns about its impact on green belt land.

The applicant – Peter Grimble – wanted to change the use of land on the north side of Templewood Lane, near Duffield Lane, to allow for eight traveller vehicles to be sited.

The land is believed to be ancient woodland with links to World War Two.

He wrote in the design and access statement that the Mansion Lane traveller site in Iver was at full capacity and had a waiting list for many families living in Slough.

He added that the eight pitches would “alleviate the lack of a permanent site for each of eight of those families and thus improve greatly their welfare and well-being”.

But there were hundreds of objections to the plans from residents and Stoke Poges Parish Council, which said the land was a “semi-natural landscape that should be protected against intensification and other forms of development”.

In the decision notice, head of planning and economic development, Mark Jaggard, said the proposed development was “inappropriate” and “harmful” to the green belt.

He wrote: “No case of very special circumstances has been made which clearly outweighs the harm to the green belt.

“As such, the proposed development would conflict with the principle aim of protecting the openness and permanence of the green belt and is contrary to the South Bucks District Local Plan.”