Petitioners celebrate refusal of application for flats

CAMPAINGERS fighting an on-going battle against the development of flats in their area are celebrating after another application was refused.

A total of 202 people signed six petitions and 25 people wrote to Hillingdon Council outlining their objections to plans to convert 16 and 18 Kingsend, Ruislip, into 11 flats.

This is the third application to convert the detached houses into flats and the latest application was almost identical to the last, therefore if was refused at the north planning committee yesterday (27).

There were five reasons for refusal, including that the development would fail to harmonise with the original buildings and it would be out of character with the area.

Trevor Brown, of Kingsend, has been campaigning against the development of flats in the road with his wife, Susan, since the first application was submitted back in September 2006.

Speaking at the meeting, he said: "It's really a repeat of the previous plan. As far as I can see the size of the buildings are exactly the same as what was previously dismissed by the council and the inspector.

"This development would virtually double the floor print of the existing house. It doesn't harmonise and it doesn't fit in.

"There's a great deal of support against this proposal. There's plenty of places around here where they are building flats so why put more here?"

Gerry Evans, who has lived in the house next to the proposed development for almost 30 years, said: "This development would mean the destruction of a very active wildlife habitat and I would be overlooked by people while in my rear garden."

He also pointed out that there would be a loss of sunlight, an increase risk of flooding caused by additional concrete and a loss of security to surrounding properties.

Councillor John 0swell, a member of the committee, said: "I totally agree with the petitioners. These sort of applications in these nice areas are just a pain in the neck."