Councillor Jane Ann Liston, who moved refusal of the plans at the recent North East Planning Committee meeting, said the properties would have been ‘squashed’ into two-thirds of an area previously earmarked for 66 homes.

The proposal would have seen the homes build on a portion of a site off Nydie Mains Road, with the potential for 14 more houses to be reconstructed on the remaining land, The Courier reports.

Mrs Liston said: “My main concern was that the houses appeared too crowded together, with 65 squashed into just two-thirds of the area for which 66 were agreed.

“The proposed layout would have been considerably more dense than other nearby houses in the village - even the fairly recent Bonfield Park is less dense - so I considered it out of keeping with the adjacent houses in the village.”

Ms Liston’s motion was seconded by fellow Liberal Democrat councillor Jonny Tepp and was passed by eight votes to five.

Lynn Walker, Strathkinness Community Council chairwoman, said it was likely that Springfield would either appeal or submit another planning application.