Conservative Tony Dean said he felt “trapped in a corner”.
“I might have objections to this housing estate being built that would have been acceptable legally a few years ago but aren’t with the new rules,” he said.
“If we say no we would lose at appeal at a huge cost to the council.”
Labour’s Marilyn Houston said in an “ideal world” the council could “be strategic and plan strategically, but at the moment we can’t.”
“With a heavy heart we have to go with the situation we’re in so I won’t be opposing it,” she said.
Independent Garnet Marshall said he was “between a rock and a hard place” but proposed the plans be approved.
“Unfortunately I don’t think we have a chance in hell of actually winning an appeal,” he said.
Labour’s Brian Puddicombe, the chair of the committee, said he would second the plans for approval “with a heavy heart”.
Seven councillors voted for the plans, and four against.
After the meeting, Wilson said he felt the decision was “hugely, hugely disappointing”.
He said councillors “ought to have some conviction”.
“What is the point in having this committee here at all if all they’re going to do is say we can’t do anything as it’ll go to appeal and it’ll lose?,” he continued.
Goldsmith said there were “good reasons for refusal” but changes to government policy meant the bar had been “set very, very high”.
“The council gets all the blame for this, but this is due to national policy and that’s unfair as well,” he said.