The first phase of an 800-home development in Hertfordshire countryside has been approved.

Bellway Homes and Miller Homes can press ahead with their plan for the first 243 homes in the scheme, which would bolt on to the north of Stevenage near Lister Hospital.

There principle behind the large development was agreed in 2017, despite fears it would "steamroller" Forster Country – named after A Room with a View author E. M. Forster.

At a meeting on Thursday, February 9, Stevenage Borough Council's planning committee met to discuss the design and layout for the first set of the 800 homes, as well as the proposed road network.

A report into the design for the homes, play spaces and 650 square metres of commercial space promises to create a "sense of place with an attractive and distinctive character".

It reads: "This allocation details a highly sustainable development proposal which delivers 243 dwellings, including a significant amount of affordable and commercial space."

It adds: "This… application provides an important opportunity to deliver a high quality, responsive and sustainable housing scheme contributing to the local housing needs.

"Tree and hedgerow planting is paramount within the scheme to integrate the scheme into its landscape context."

Of the 243 new homes, 125 are set to be affordable rented or shared ownership accommodation.

There are set to be 155 two, three, four and five bedroom homes, plus 88 one and two-bed apartments, with "generous open spaces" throughout the area.

Land will also be set aside for a school.

Houses are set to feature their own parking spaces, while blocks of flats would feature "parking courts".

Councillor Chris Howells (Con, Roebuck) questioned whether there would be enough parking throughout the estate.

"These always look lovely on the brochure and on the designer's computer," Cllr Howells said.

"In reality, you can't really drive through these estates at night past builders' vans, utility vehicles, and people who have got two or three cars in their household.

"One and a half parking spaces per household doesn't really seem enough to me."

Council officers said there will be a surplus of parking, weighing up the current planning rules and proposals from the developer.

The Friends of the Forster Country has previously raised objections to the plan.

On its website, the organisation said 553 parking spaces will be too many on what is currently a green space.

They called for more electric vehicle charging points for new residents.

The organisation's statement reads: "Stevenage Borough Council planning officers are recommending approval of Bellway Miller's application.

"This from a council that recently declared a climate emergency and promised to restore the fields to how they were in E. M. Forster's time.

"The result will be the loss, forever, of environmental and heritage surroundings that should have been the jewel in its crown."

Chris Naylor from the organisation spoke at the meeting.

He said: "Building affordable homes is vital and I support everything you are doing in the council to see their development in Stevenage."

Mr Naylor said the scheme "isn't really that great" for an area of "such profound artistic, cultural and heritage significance".

He said the parking would enable "hundreds" of additional car journeys to take place every day in a conservation area.

Councillors voted to approve the housing scheme with 24 conditions, among them that any hedges or scrub must be cleared outside of the bird-nesting season between March and August, and that more detail is needed around swift and bat boxes before building work takes place.