Plans to transform a former bus garage into a mixed development of homes and offices have been approved.

R and B Signs was originally refused planning permission and conservation area consent to build five offices and 21 flats, with off-street parking, on the site bound by Leavesden Road, St Albans Road and Copsewood Road, in December last year.

Watford Borough Council's development control committee rejected the scheme on the grounds of harm to the character and appearance of the Nascot Conservation Area and of a locally listed building, loss of employment use, increased parking problems and failure to complete a section 106 agreement (financial payments to provide local services and infrastructures).

However, although a planning inspector later dismissed both appeals, this was only due to the uncompleted section 106 agreement, and left councillors “over a barrel” when the scheme reappeared at a meeting last night.

The failure of the planning inspector to support many of the council's original terms of refusal, in his decision published in June this year, meant committee members were told “there are no grounds for refusing the current applications providing an acceptable s.106 planning obligation is completed”.

Following a short debate between councillors, the applications were approved, subject to completion of a section 106 agreement.

Councillor Iain Sharpe said: “I think we're over a barrel here. I agree with the decision we went with before but it would be perverse to try and insist on the reasons we gave for refusal before when the inspector has said they are not adequate.”

Councillor George Derbyshire said: “I voiced concerns last time about the parking implications of this application. I know Hertfordshire Highways have looked at it and concluded they don't think it will add significantly to the already very serious parking problems that there are in this area.

“Perhaps the possibility of a CPZ (controlled parking zone) in that area should be revisited.”

Councillor Zoe McQuire added: “I cannot get enthused about the design of these flats. They strike me as small little boxes designed to get as many people in as possible.”

The building facades facing Leavesden Road and Copsewood Road will be retained and refurbished as part of the redevelopment.