A long, acrimonious and drawn-out battle over plans to build a block of flats near Bushey Arches ended last night when builders were finally granted planning permission.

Developers, Duklease Properties, will now start work on building 71 flats and six retail units at the former JR Tagger site, between Aldenham Road and Pinner Road.

The decision brings to an end what was, at times, a bitterly fought and highly controversial planning process and is the fourth separate application for the site from the same developer.

In November last year, the former Tagger site was also victim of an arson attack, while Oxhey Village residents were infuriated when consultants publicly claimed the area was rife with drugs and prostitution.

The developer's agent, Nick De Lotbiniere, told a Town Hall meeting last night that lessons had been learned from previous applications, and “extensive” discussions had been held this time.

He said the design, which now includes 80 parking spaces and a central public square, was “completely different”. He told councillors the six shops would be for small, local businesses.

Councillors on Watford Borough Council's development control committee then unanimously agreed to grant permission for the reduced scheme.

The new development will include 24 affordable flats and will be built in several separate buildings, ranging from two to four storeys in height.

Nevertheless, the “radically different” scheme to those previously rejected still saw 28 local residents opposed it.

Speaking against the proposal, John Drummond, chair of the OVEGl residents' association, said the number of new homes earmarked to be built in Oxhey needs to be urgently looked at.

While admitting the new plans were “a significant improvement”, he said: “Unfortunately this development is just one small part of about 1,400 dwellings planned in the immediate vicinity and the major concern is most of those dwellings are one and two bed flats when we need more houses.”

He warned the committee the local schools, roads and health care infrastructure are already “at breaking point,” urging a “serious review of the development strategy in the area”.

Local councillor and member of council's planning committee, Councillor Iain Sharpe, admitted he had “very mixed feelings” about the proposal.

He said: “I absolutely share a lot of the anxieties about Oxhey and those that Oxhey Village residents have about the quantum of development happening in an already densely populated area an in an area that has serious traffic issues at Bushey Arches.”

However, he said the new design was a “massive step forward,” before concluding: “With some reservations this is probably as good as we are going to get.”

Councillor Zoe McQuire also pointed out the improvements, before saying she was concerned about what colour the new building would take.

She told the meeting: “I was very pleased to see this when it came to us because the last one was grossly inappropriate for the area.”

She was told the developer would now have to consult with council officers before the exterior appearance of the development is approved.