A controversial park cafe in Burghfield has been given planning permission by West Berkshire Council, despite hundreds of objections and letters of support from a divided village.

Some, including the police, feared it would be a hub for anti-social behaviour. Others considered it a much needed facility.

The final rubber stamp of approval came from the council last week, with the condition that the cafe operators provide an emergency plan in the event of an accident at nearby AWE atomic weapons factory.

The Government had been asked to decide the fate of the park café when it was given the go ahead in a nuclear emergency zone by the Eastern Area Planning Committee, and had 21 days to decide.

Planning officers said the structure of the building would not sustain enough protection in the event of an incident at nearby nuclear bomb factory AWE, and therefore failed on emergency planning grounds.

Now the cafe has to lodge an emergency plan before it gets going.

The original proposal was recommended for refusal, but that was overturned by the committee.