A NEW development has been given the green light in Minster ward despite objections from neighbouring residents.

The site at Castle Crescent will be refurbished to provide five houses and demolish associated outbuildings. Eight more properties will be developed along the eastern boundary.

A contribution of £120,000 will also be made towards affordable housing.

The proposal was granted by Reading Borough Council at a meeting last night pending legal agreement, though objections were raised by two residents in Garnet Hill.

Alice Wang of Garnet Hill said: “We feel that we do not have any option but to object to the plans as they stand because we consider them to be unneighbourly.

“They impact on the privacy of surrounding houses.”

Her neighbour Andrea Pickersgill added: “We understand this to be the third major planning application over the last 20 years. The last two plans were more sympathetic to the issue of privacy.

“The proposed building is as close as three metres to the back of our houses.

“We consider it to be overbearing and cast a shadow over the houses.”

Labour councillor Tony Page, deputy leader of the council, rejected these arguments.

He said: “My back garden is completely overlooked and the reality is that in any area with a steep gradient there will be overlooking.

“The application before us has been designed more sensitively and it does deliver benefits to the locality.”