Plans for a high-rise building in Watford are likely to be submitted before Christmas, according to a councillor.

Three Rivers District councillor Alison Wall has warned that the 23-storey block of flats will destroy the local landscape and provide a poor quality of life for those who end up living in them.

Plans for the ‘residential quarter’, which will be on Ascot Road, include 483 new homes - of which 35 per cent will be social housing - but only 220 parking spaces.

She criticised Watford Borough Council for failing to mention the plans, that will be submitted by Orion Limited, to Three Rivers District Council – despite the fact that residents living in Croxley Green, will have to look at the “eyesore” every day.

She accused the council of acting selfishly and suggested that they purposely considered the plans at Christmas, when people are too busy with festivities to be checking planning applications.

She also warned of the impact the new homes will have on traffic and parking, considering the plans only provide spaces for less than 50% of the new houses.

Cllr Wall said: “This is shocking. If you look round Watford and the buildings that are already here, there is nothing like it – the YMCA building seems high and that’s only 12 floors, this will be almost double that.

“A building this tall is unprecedented in the area – once these plans get the go ahead, more and more high-rise buildings will start appearing all over the place. It’s a slippery slope.”

She has always lived in Croxley Green and said she was disappointed no consideration was given to residents living there.

“Watford Borough Council has acted very selfishly and rather sneakily. This is a money-making scheme with no thought given to people living in Croxley Green who will have to look at this eyesore every day,” she said.

“I think Watford Borough Council is hoping that Croxley Green will soon merge into Watford, but nobody here wants that.

“They’ve also given little consideration to the standard of life these homes provide – high rise buildings are not nice places to live in. People need green spaces; people want to know their neighbours – these buildings don’t offer that.”

In Orion's development strategy, it highlighted that “taller buildings may result in a significant impact on the skyline at this location”, so cllr Wilson said she was confused about why they were ignoring their own advice.

Ed Blackwell, speaking on behalf of Watford Borough Council, said: “Watford Borough Council has not received a planning application for a development on this site and is unable to comment. Any future application would be carefully considered to ensure that development in the area is in keeping with the town’s planning policy.

“We listen to local residents and people have the opportunity to share their views on all of our planning applications during a consultation period.”

Jessica Stewart, speaking on behalf of Orion, said: "We are currently consulting with the local community ahead of submitting our planning application.

"We delivered over 3000 newsletters to local addresses as well as writing to many community groups and launching a website to publicise the public exhibitions in November."