A long-running and unpopular plan to build four family homes in a leafy corner of Rickmansworth has again been rejected by councillors.

Developers have been fighting for more than a decade to win approval for the scheme, in Nightingale Road.

Three Rivers District Council, however, has now rejected it ten times and, supported by many local residents, fought off several appeals to the Government’s planning inspectorate.

In its most recent ruling on Thursday night, the council rejected a modified scheme to demolish 63 Nightingale Road and build in its place and surrounding garden space four detached houses.

Members of its development control committee criticised the cramped and overbearing nature of the scheme – a decision that prompted applause from residents, more than 60 of whom have lodged formal complaints to the council.

Council leader Ann Shaw was unequivocal in her condemnation. She said: “Is it really 12 years that we have been moving refusal of this scheme? It seems much longer than that to me.

“Sadly this application does not seem much different to me than all the others we’ve rejected. To make things worse the number of trees to be demolished this time has risen to 37.”

Peter Waters, of the Rickmansworth Residents' Association, said after the meeting: “This is something we have been fighting for nearly 12 years. All of the applications would have been damaging to the surrounding conservation area.

“There was really very little difference between this application and all the others we’ve been asked to consider. We will keep fighting it whenever it returns." The committee also rejected another long-running and unpopular scheme in Hornhill Road, Maple Cross, where developers hope to build 14 homes in a garden site between Woodland Road. That decision, too, was greeted by warm applause.