Controversial development plans could change Rickmansworth "forever" and fears are mounting the site is at risk of flooding.

Plans for 66 flats at the former gasworks site in Wharf Lane have been submitted to Three Rivers District Council.

But opponents have launched a website called saverickmansworth.org.uk in a bid raise awareness of the proposals and limit the number of flats being built in the town.

Nearly 100 people have objected to the plans and council chiefs are targeting a decision in May.

Paul Harper, who created the website, said: "The Wharf Lane plans are for a brown-field site so it ticks a lot of the boxes in that respect, but is its proximity to the lake that is a problem and I am sure the developers can re-design it to make it more appealing.

"It is so big and dominating. You will be able to see it from Croxley Woods.

"It is so imposing. There has been something like 80 objections lodged against the application and some of the comments on the planning website have had some really good ideas, for example, planting trees alongside the edge of the lake to block the flats.

"We have got to try otherwise it will go through and change the outlook for Rickmansworth forever."

Paul Sansom-Timms, owner of Croxley Hall Fisheries, which is opposite the proposed site, has also expressed concerns about the increased risk of flooding in the area.

He said: "It is very worrying that developers want to build at a site which a flood-risk site and it is being protected by a wall that was built 30 years ago.

"The wall does not comply with Environment Agency standards. They have said that flood defences need to be 10 per cent higher in line with climate changes.

Developers said they have reduced the number of flats in the proposals and increased the number of visitor parking spaces.

Nicola Beech on behalf of St Williams Homes said: "The site has been allocated for residential development by Three Rivers District Council since 2001 and represents a valuable opportunity to bring a redundant industrial site back into beneficial use.

"This brownfield site is in a sustainable town centre location surrounded by a mixture of housing including apartments and houses.

"The design of the scheme takes account of the site’s characteristics and the form of development on Wharf Lane.

"A more contemporary design approach has been chosen in order to give the site its own identity; however the elevation materials will reflect that of the surrounding built form".

They added the proposed development would generate more than £1.2 million worth of cash- through the Community Infrastructure Levy- and said this will go towards education facilities, transport infrastructure and leisure and community facilities in the area.

Ms Beech, on behalf of St William Homes added: "The proposed development will clean up and remediate this former industrial and storage site. The proposed new planting and landscaping will create a greener outlook".