Plans to build 57 flats on a residential street in Watford have been refused tonight - but the press and public were unable to view the decision live.

That's because an hour into tonight's virtual planning committee meeting, Watford Borough Council's live YouTube stream went down - and despite the council being made aware of the problem, the meeting continued.

But only those present in the meeting - committee members, council officers, and speakers - were able to hear the discussion live.

Due to social distancing rules, the meeting was being held virtually and not in the council chamber like usual.

The Observer has been told by Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst that the committee voted to refuse a proposal for 57 flats in Monmouth Road by seven votes to two.

Developer Santok Homes wanted to demolish five homes and a vicarage and replace it with a part three, five, and seven-storey block of flats.

The scheme, which was recommended for approval by the council planning officer, included three affordable homes, falling well short of the council's policy of 35 per cent affordability.

Tom Harper, who lives in Monmouth Road, spoke for five minutes about why councillors should oppose the scheme - referring to the flats being "out of character" for the area and also pointing towards the lack of affordable housing.

Richard Henley, agent for Santok Homes, was given five minutes, to state his client's case as to why the scheme should be approved.

Planning committee chairman Peter Jeffree then gave some of his thoughts and he was in favour of the scheme.

He said the visual impact of the scheme was "fairly low" and described the design as "acceptable".

Then the discussion was opened to the rest of the committee members - which is when the technical issues began and the stream froze.

Despite the Observer, via Cllr Giles-Medhurst, making council members aware of the issue, the meeting continued.

Around 50 members of the public had been watching at the time.

The stream was the only way the public and press could watch the meeting live.

A council officer tried to get the stream up and running again but was unable to fix the problem.

The Observer understands there will be a recording of the discussion made available to the public.

Cllr Giles-Medhurst, who spoke against the scheme in his role as a local county councillor, told us Councillor Iain Sharpe proposed the plans be refused on the basis of height, character, and bulk.

Six members agreed with his recommendation and the scheme was refused.

Planning chairman Cllr Jeffree and vice chairman Councillor Stephen Johnson voted in favour of the scheme.

A second application for 72 flats in St Albans Road was also decided tonight - Labour councillor Nigel Bell, who sits on the committee, told us after the meeting the scheme has been passed by six votes to three.

More reaction and details to both applications tomorrow.