Concerns raised over plans in Sycamore Road in Croxley Green

An application has been submitted to build six apartments and three terraced homes on land in Sycamore Road in Croxley Green.

Applicants Kebbell Development Ltd have already been knocked back three times by Three Rivers District Council, most recently in 2005, to build on this particular piece of land.

Gareth Morris, who lives in a neighbouring flat owned by Kebbell, is among 23 people so far to have officially lodged objections to the scheme.

Mr Morris, who has lived in Sycamore Road since 1986, said: "The land is owned by Kebbell but it is maintained and used by residents.

"From spring through to summer, the land is used on a weekly basis. We’ve had marquees on there, meetings, and family celebrations. But it is also a great place to walk around.

"It’s a green open space which is threatened by a development which would take that space out of the picture. There are no other green spaces around here."

Mr Morris says the development plans cover the 'best bit' of the green. Pictured is the land in the autumn

Kebbell’s plans do not include building over the entirety of the green space, but Mr Morris says they want to build on the "best bit", which includes a barbecue area.

Most, if not all, of the homes, in this area of Sycamore Road were built by Kebbell in the 1960s but a bid to build on this land has not proven to be successful as of yet.

In 2005, the council declined Kebbell’s attempt to redevelop the land into eight apartments, stating the "loss of such an open space would have a detrimental effect on the character and appearance of the area".

Parking, the impact the development could have wildlife, and the land's proximity to the Grand Union Canal are among other concerns raised by residents published on the council’s planning portal about this scheme.

The land in question pictured this week

In a conclusion within a planning statement published on the council's planning portal, Nova Planning, writing on behalf of Kebbell say: "The proposed scheme will provide a high-quality residential environment, delivering a range of dwelling types and sizes, making a valuable contribution to the council's housing requirement."

The public consultation for this application ends on March 4 with a final decision on the plans set to be made by a council planning officer by the end of March.

The planning application can be found here.