Neighbours in a quiet street are concerned that plans to build a “garden grabbing” town house on a green space at the end of their road amount to overdevelopment.  

The planning application to build a three-storey, five bedroom property on the corner of Melrose Place and Wentworth Avenue has met with significant public resistance, so far receiving around 30 objections from locals.

Residents cite problems with a current lack of parking and concerns over safety on the tight corner as reasons why the house should not be built.

Melrose Place resident Suzetta Hartropp claims the applicant bought the adjacent house on Melrose Place last year with the intention of building on the accompanying vacant plot.

“He’s doing it just for profit – he’s never lived here. He said in his application that no trees would be harmed but that’s because he had already cut them down – you can see the stumps,” she said.

“Everyone here is opposed to it, particularly because of concerns over safety and parking. We have had so many car accidents on this corner and it could cause more.”

Nascot Councillor Mark Hofman stood by his constituents’ complaints.

He said: “Essentially the developer wants to build a house in a garden. It would be a shame to lose garden recreational space for an infill development - it used to be a nice corner feature.

“There is major opposition from local residents over this garden grabbing scheme. Undoubtedly this development will put additional, unwanted strain on the surrounding infrastructure.  

“Local residents have already questioned the safety of the local roads when the lorries and other works vehicles arrive.”

However council planner Paul Baxter said he considered the proposal to be “an acceptable form of development” for the plot.

The application will be decided by Watford Borough Council’s development management committee on March 8.