Politicians of all three major parties united to block a bid to build 45 houses on woodland in a leafy corner of Watford this evening.

In the end it was a technical distinction about whether the woods at the Rounton site were deemed ‘ancient’ that ended the drawn-out saga over the Nascot Wood Road development.

Residents in the area have been fighting the plans to develop the woodland for the best part of a year.

The proposals for the site first came before Watford Borough Council's development control committee in May, but the vote was deferred so more information could be gathered on the woodland's planning status and its badger population.

The vote was then put off again in August after the developers produced an eleventh-hour report disputing claims that the woodland had legally-protected ancient status.

Yet in the run-up to this evening’s meeting the council received two extra pieces of evidence which tipped the balance in favour of the woodland being designated as ancient.

Planning officers said they had received a map marking the area as woodland dating back to 1735 and confirmation from Natural England that it considered it ancient.

As a result planners said they were reversing the initial recommendation in favour of the housing development and urging councillors to reject the application.

Brigid O’Leary, speaking on behalf of the developers, said that despite the status of the woodland that the applicants had promised to pay for a number of community projects and facilities if the development was given the go-ahead.

She also said the developer was likely to take the matter to appeal if the council refused it, meaning that a government planning inspector would scrutinise and possibly overturn the borough's decision.

However councillors brushed aside the 'veiled threat' of appeal from the developer and said they found the case for the woodland being designated ancient overwhelming.

Liberal Democrat councillor Alan Burtenshaw said: "We have had a sort of veiled threat they (the applicants) are going to appeal and that maybe the situation that we find ourselves in.

"But I think we have enough information in front of us, and have heard from so many experts, to decide what is or isn't ancient Woodland."

His Lib Dem counterpart, Councillor George Derbyshire added: "The speaker on behalf of the applicant chose to try and pressure us to decide otherwise and put us on notice the applicant is likely to appeal.

"I would like to say to the applicant it does not make an iota of difference as far as I am concerned."

Meanwhile Conservative councillor Malcolm Meerabux warned the committee about being enticed by the financial sweeteners offered by the developers and said they had a duty to protect the woodland for future generations.

Labour councillor Asif Khan told the committee he would also be voting against the development on the face of the new evidence of the woodland's ancient status.

In the end the nine-councillor committee voted unanimously against the proposals.