Plans for 25 bungalows for over 55s in a village near Lancaster have been given the go-ahead.
The new housing in fields near Hawthorn Avenue at Brookhouse was granted planning permission on Monday.
Residents spoke out against the proposals at a meeting held at Morecambe Town Hall, worried that the development could cause flooding and extra traffic, and said they felt there was unsuitable access to the land, and the scheme would cause potential damage to the environment.
But council officers recommended the scheme should be approved due to a housing shortfall in the Lancaster district.
"Whilst there are adverse impacts arising from the development, and a small degree of conflict with some policies within the Development Plan, these impacts are not considered to significantly and demonstrably outweigh the benefits of the proposal, namely, housing," said a council report.
Most councillors on the Lancaster City Council planning regulatory committee agreed.
Eight of the committee members - Councillors Cleet, King, Lenox, Knight, Thomas, Hartley, Tyldesley and Guilding - voted in favour of the scheme.
Councillors Redfern, Brookes, Hamilton-Cox and Budden abstained.
Councillor Tim Hamilton-Cox, of the Greens, said: "We should be looking at other land that is available and directing development to there.
"This is not what we would want to approve in usual circumstances."
But Councillor Colin Hartley, of Labour, said: "All the best sites have gone and have been built on.
"All planning applications have problems with them. We do desperately need houses for more mature members of the population."
The application by Applethwaite Homes was given the go-ahead subject to several conditions.
You can read the full planning report here.
The land is situated in the Forest of Bowland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) but councillors were told there had been no comments received from the AONB Partnership.
Children's play area in Lancaster opens after £118k revamp
Illegal tobacco and counterfeit clothing seized during raid on Lancaster city centre shop
Lancaster bowling green fundraiser hits target
Six food businesses in Lancaster district fail allergen tests
LISTEN: Stars of Morecambe and Wise stage show can't wait for Eric's 100th birthday
LISTEN: Thousands enjoy Wray Fair finale to annual scarecrow festival
PHOTOS and VIDEO: Incredible sand art on Morecambe beach honours Sir David Attenborough
Row over Morecambe FC debt as ex-directors' firm issues winding-up petition against club
Morecambe Pride handed £3,500 grant boost
North West awards delight for talented stars of Lancaster musicals
Music festival set for Lancaster over Bank Holiday postponed due to ‘ongoing planning’
Lancashire Police Museum in Lancaster celebrates fourth anniversary
Police investigate alleged sexual exploitation at Lancaster flat
Beyond the Beat: Two arrests after assault in Lancaster city centre
Morecambe MP "appalled" as Lancashire set to quit refugee resettlement scheme
Replica RAF helicopter to go on display in Lancaster at three-day show
Life-size knitted mannequin pops up ahead of Eric Morecambe's 100th birthday
Stars play in celebrity football match in Morecambe in memory of brave teenager
Roses are red! Lancaster University students celebrate fifth straight victory
70 homes in Carnforth evacuated after bomb scare
