Protesters' dismay as Goldhawk plans passed

They claimed officers had rushed through the application and failed to properly take into account the arguments against the Places for People development, which will see modern, high-density, four-storey blocks with roof terraces built on the disused site in the middle of a conservation area.

Despite pleas for the decision to be deferred until the new year so more time could be given to assessing its merits and shortcomings, councillors pressed ahead and approved the scheme.

Now Ashchurch Residents' Association is hoping the communities secretary, John Denham, may put the brakes on the project by calling in the application, as he did when Hammersmith and Fulham Council approved a similar scheme in the nearby Goldhawk Industrial Estate.

Anger over that decision prompted council leader Stephen Greenhalgh to pledge not to present future applications to residents as a 'done deal' - although opponents believe the council's Conservative administration had sealed the fate of the Goldhawk Road project long before it went to Wednesday's committee.

Speaking at the start of the meeting, Labour councillor Colin Aherne said: "They've already made up their minds that they're voting in favour of this application, and all the rest is smoke and mirrors."

Ravenscourt Park councillor Lucy Ivimy questioned several aspects of the scheme, which falls within her ward, but voted in favour of the plans with the other Tory members.

Others raised concerns about the loss of three mature trees, the size of the gardens attached to the homes - some of which are just one metre deep - and noise and overlooking caused by the roof terraces.

Fiona Anderson, chairman of Ashchurch Residents' Association, said: "The committee couldn't have had a clearer message than they had from the people at the back of the meeting, from the 381 signatures on the petition and 70 letters, that people are not happy.

"It's just wrong for the area. It's a decent-size site and given some imagination and a council that was not so focused on making as much money as it could out of it, we should have had a really good development.

"There are people in my street who are serious supporters of the Conservative Party, and who have said they can forget canvassing or funding in the next election."