A senior Rickmansworth councillor has expressed her disappointment after developers announced a legal challenge to force through a controversial planning application.

The Hightown Praetorian & Churches Housing Association (HPCHA) applied in the summer to demolish the Morningside sheltered housing development, on the corner of Nightingale Road, and build in its place 19 one and two bedroom flats.

Three Rivers District Council, however, rejected the proposals at a meeting in September – a decision that delighted the many neighbouring residents who had objected to the scheme.

The HPCHA, however, has now lodged an appeal with the Government’s Planning Inspectorate against the decision.

Rickmansworth county councillor Barbara Lamb, who has spoken against the proposal since its inception, said she was “disappointed but not surprised”.

Responding to the appeal she said: “I’m disappointed by this but, I’m afraid, not at all surprised. I understand they want to press ahead with the development but I am disappointed with the way they are going about it.

“Residents have clearly expressed their views on this and so has the council but, rather than amend the scheme, they are just trying to force it through.”

The complex, on the corner of Uxbridge Road, used to be home to 19 mostly elderly tenants, who lived mainly in modest single rooms serviced by shared bathrooms.

The HPCHA has claimed throughout the process that the current building is in dire need of renovation, and has also made it clear that residents forced to move out would have the option of moving back in.

Councillor Lamb, however, argued the stress and inconvenience caused to them could not be justified by a development opposed by so many residents.

She added: “What we had here was a close and successful community. Unfortunately these people have already started moving out and there’s only about seven of them left.

“These people should have already made their last moves but are now left to apply for new homes under the choice-based scheme [introduced by TRDC to make the allocation of social housing fairer.] “That is essentially a lottery. They are likely to be taken away from their friends.”

An appeal decision is expected early next year.

Emma Crump, of the HPCHA, said: “Obviously we disagree with what the council said. We are still of the view that what we are proposing is a significant improvement on what is already there.”

She added that a designated support worker had been allocated to help residents with the move, many of whom were now comfortably settled in their new homes.