Plans to build a new housing development on a recreation ground have finally been approved after a five-year dispute over land between two councils.

Slough Borough Council hoped to build 24 homes on Norway Drive Recreation Ground in Wexham. Councillors on the borough’s planning committee first voted to approve the plans in December 2018.

But Wexham Court Parish Council (WCPC), which leases part of the land, refused to give it up – blocking full planning permission in a move once branded by one councillor as a ‘disgrace’.

Full permission was eventually granted last month, with an agreement that could see the parish council paid some £100,000.

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Slough Borough Council said it is ‘delighted that planning permission has now been granted’.

Plans were first drawn up by Slough Urban Renewal – a joint venture between the borough council and private developer Morgan Sindall.

WCPC agreed to surrender the land in 2016, when both it and the borough council were led by Labour.

But independents – led by councillor Iftakhar Ahmed – took control of WCPC in 2019.

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They tried to terminate the agreement, arguing that they had promised to protect green open space.

WCPC reportedly agreed to settle the dispute in 2021. Slough Borough Council’s planning committee was told in 2021 that the parish had agreed to surrender the land.

It was told WCPC would sign a section 106 agreement setting out developers’ financial contributions to infrastructure and public open space. Such agreements have to be signed before full planning permission is awarded.

Speaking at the time, Labour councillor Pavitar Mann – then responsible for planning in the borough - said: “Frankly I think it’s a disgrace that the actions of the parish council have sought to frustrate and delay the provision of much-needed family housing and implementing a previously approved scheme – not for any legitimate rationale and certainly not for any planning reason.”

Councillor Mann added that she didn’t want to see ‘any further delay’. But Slough Borough Council now says WCPC remained ‘reluctant’ to sign the agreement, and that a resolution was found after ‘ongoing dialogue’.

Both councils declined to say what the discussions involved or how they were resolved. But minutes of a WCPC meeting in September say councillors agreed to sign the deal after changes to 'open space mitigation' works in the 106 agreement.

A draft of the agreement published by the WCPC in June suggests developers could pay the council £25,000 for improvements to open space at The Cherries in Wexham and another £25,000 for improvements to footpaths.

A further £51,000 will be paid for maintenance of improved recreation facilities. The developer will also pay £124,000 towards building those improved facilities, with any remainder also to be paid to WCPC.

Adil Iftakhar, who is councillor Ahmed’s son and also employed as WCPC’s clerk, told the Observer: “We had to ensure the wording used within the s.106 and conditions were drafted to ensure there was no ambiguity.

“The negotiations and changes proposed were in the best interest of the parish council and parishioners.”