Plans to build six homes in Chesham have been thrown out after councillors slammed the “inappropriate” access road, amid fears bin lorries and fire engines would struggle to travel down it.

Chiltern District Council’s (CDC) planning committee refused proposals to demolish 274 and 274A Chartridge Lane and build six homes in their places, during a meeting on March 21.

The plans included two pairs of semi-detached houses with three and four bedrooms and two detached homes, one with two bedrooms and one with three bedrooms.

Since 2016, there have been three attempts to redevelop the site – with the last application rejected by the council due to the “substandard” access drive that runs from Chartridge Lane to the homes.

Concerns were also raised the design of the development was “not in keeping” with other homes in the area.

Jim Conboy, from the Chesham Society, objected to the latest set of plans – saying no changes have been made to the access road, despite councillors’ criticisms.

However, a representative from the applicant, Visao Limited, said numerous improvements have been made to the access – including moving a  “blind corner” and replacing it with a straight road to improve visibility.

Passing places have also been introduced at both ends of the roads to create extra room for bigger vehicles, allowing “plenty of space for a refuse truck or emergency vehicle to enter the site and turn safely within it”.

However, councillor for Amersham Common, Caroline Jones, said the access would “would set a bad precedent” for other developments to have a “narrow, confined and inappropriate access”.

She said: “There’s no space for pedestrians, and let’s face it kids go backwards and forwards to school and cyclists etc. I have a Range Rover, I wouldn’t be happy going down there.

“And what really concerns me, as always of course, is the waste. Because the waste vehicles change, they may be getting bigger. For that reason alone, I am going to object to this application.”

Councillors refused the application due to the “substandard” access drive “with no clearly defined pedestrian link”, which would “result in both potential manoeuvring and access issues for vehicles and conflict with pedestrians, cyclists and other users”.