Contentious plans to build 56 new homes on the cramped Boundary Way estate have been approved by councillors despite emotional pleas from residents and a last gasp petition to stop the development.

Three Rivers District Council planning committee gave the final go ahead for the Watford Community Housing Trust proposals last night, feeling the need for more social housing in Garston and Abbots Langley outweighed fears the new estate would be too dense.

Watford Borough Council approved its side of the £8 million project last month.

Before the meeting residents handed a 386-signature door-to-door petition to the committee asking them to reject the application.

But the committee voted six in favour of following the planning officer recommendation and granted permission.

Boundary Way resident Cathy Birch said it was like the people who live on the estate don’t matter.

She said: "It was a foregone conclusion. We tried but we were fighting a losing battle. We’ve been badly disappointed. We have got to live with it. It’s like we don't matter.

"I would like to thank my neighbour Mick Fox, councillors Stephen Giles-Medhurst and Karen Collett and everyone who helped with the petition."

Leavesden representative, Councillor Giles-Medhurst, who has been campaigning with residents to have the plans rejected, called the decision "despicable" and said the fact that Boundary was already cramped was not a reason to make it even more dense.

He said: "I’m disgusted. This is the worst possible planning scheme in 40 years. I feel very sorry for the residents, after all their hard work on this the planning committee has let them down.

"Going forward, I will be making sure the trust adheres to every single thing they proposed to do with it."

During the meeting Councillor Phil Brading said the committee was between a "rock and a hard place" following advise the application would likely go through on appeal.

He criticised the scheme for not being able to make a contribution to the community costs of enlarging the development after Hertfordshire County Council said it would accumulate nearly £90,000 in education and childcare costs.

Councillor Len Tippen remarked the development was like trying to get a "square plug in a round hole".

He said: "With this development we have to measure quality of life against quantity social housing."

Councillor Ann Shaw said: "We have discussed this at great length, this is the third time the application has been before us. We have identified problems and have gained some improvements.

"We cannot rebuild the whole estate.

"If we refuse the application now, we might lose the improvements we’ve managed to get.

"I propose we accept the application."

Councillor Brading seconded the motion, which was carried after six committee members voted in favour of granting planning permission, two against and two abstentions.

Euan Barr, head of New Business at Watford Community Housing Trust, said the scheme would improve the estate.

He said: "The Trust is delighted to have secured planning consent for the project, having worked for two years to ensure we have the right solution for new homes and better facilities at Boundary Way. We hope to achieve a site start in December 2014 to deliver much needed affordable homes for Watford and Three Rivers, in a much improved setting."