COUNCILLORS have approved controversial plans for a new crematorium.
The site in Catfoot Lane, near Lambley was approved by Gedling Borough Council's planning committee on Wednesday evening.
Two plans were put to the council, from national developers Westerleigh Group and local funeral directors AW Lymn.
And councillors voted nine against eight in favour of the Westerleigh proposal.
Officers had recommended the proposal, despite strong opposition from some neighbourhood action groups who were worried about the impact on the green belt.
Freda Ingall of Grange Close, Lambley, wrote four letters of protest to the council.
She said: "I went to the meeting – I can't believe they want to vandalise this beautiful part of Lambley.
"Every year our children from Junior Church go on a picnic there.
"I can't understand the mentality – they are destroying a beautiful area.
"I haven't heard of one person that wants it there.
"I hope we carry on fighting – I am going to write to our MP, Mark Spencer."
Mrs Ingall added: "There were about 100 of us who went to the meeting and are against it. We've been protesting and will continue."
Richard Evans, managing director of Westerleigh Group, said: "We are relieved that nine councillors were brave enough to take the right decision for the entire borough by approving the building of a new crematorium facility.
"We always listen to the communities near our crematoria.
"While I know passions ran high at last night's meeting, I am confident Lambley residents will discover that the new facility will have little on rural or village life. We aim to deliver the most responsible and caring service to bereaved families.
"We are not like a developer that builds to sell on.
"We will provide this service for many years to come and it is very important to us that we operate sympathetically to our neighbours as we are, ultimately, a community service."
Gedling Borough Council's planning committee voted on the issue at a meeting, open to the public, at the Civic Centre by Arnot Hill Park on Wednesday evening.
In the council's planning report, the reasons for acceptance said: "There is a justifiable need for a new crematorium within Gedling Borough which constitutes the very special circumstances necessary to outweigh the harm to the Green Belt and the slight adverse impact on the locallandscape."
