The proposed homes, on land East of Shira Lodge in Cardross, would have been built jointly by Houses for Heroes Scotland and the Chrystal Trust.

Houses for Heroes is a registered charity that provides low cost rented accommodation to house, for life, physically and psychologically disabled ex-service personnel and their families.

Chrystal Trust is the landowner and offered the Cardross site to the charity because it wished to see a legacy born out of its ancestor Lt George Chrystal, who was killed at the Second Battle of Ypres and 2015 would be the 100th anniversary of his death.

But at a meeting of the Planning, Protective Services, and Licensing committee, the application was unanimously refused because the new houses would have been on greenbelt land and within Cardross Conservation Area.

The proposed houses would also have been 14 metres from the boundary of Cardross Parish Church and churchyard – a Category B listed building – and the plan involved demolishing a 10 metre section of the listed boundary wall to provide access for the new homes.

The application received support for and against the plans, with 140 representations made on the council’s planning website – 32 of which in support.

Members of the public attended the meeting to represent the views of the community.

Tony Davey represented Cardross Community Council, which did not support the development, but did support Houses for Heroes.

He told the Advertiser: “If the committee decided to grant planning permission I believe and they would be setting a very dangerous precedent in going against relevant procedures and policies.” Other residents also objected on the grounds of road safety and the plans being within a conservation village.

Peter Minshall, chief executive at Houses for Heroes Scotland, was disappointed by the decision, and pointed the finger at Argyll and Bute Council.

He added: “This is the only county in Scotland where the charity has met a barrier to its building programme for disabled veterans.

“The decision by Argyll and Bute planning committee has denied three deserving disabled veterans and their families the opportunity to come and live in Argyll who in turn would have helped boost the local economy. The decision to support the objectors has also denied access to the remainder of the land which the trust announced publicly would be made available to the Cardross community.

“It is hoped that, in the spirit of the Armed Forces Covenant, the doors will remain open to enable the local authority to revisit their decision and that consent can be given to allow building to begin as a positive contribution to the World War I commemorations which will be a fitting tribute to mark the Centenary in 2015 of both the foundation of the Charity and the death of local soldier Lieutenant George Chrystal.”