Plans for two three-storey houses between existing homes have been approved despite neighbours’ objections.

Watford Borough Council has officially green-lit designs for the new Radlett Road building on land opposite Knutsford Playing Fields that is currently occupied by two small garages.

The semi-detached homes were proposed in December and received comments from five residents in Radlett Road and Eastfield Road (which backs onto the site).

There were fears losing the gap between properties would make the road look like terraced houses and that nearby properties could lose privacy. Objectors also raised concerns over a lack of parking and building above Thames Water pipes.

One Radlett Road resident wrote in support of the plan, agreeing with the applicant that the current use is “an eyesore”.

Watford Observer: The site in Radlett Road, Watford.The site in Radlett Road, Watford. (Image: Google Street View)

Planning officers ultimately judged that the pair of three-bedroom homes would be “an appropriate and acceptable design for this brownfield site and will make good use of this underused site”.

Each home would have one parking space, which meets local plan standards. Thames Water asked for conditions which were applied to the permission but did not object.

Residential applications for the same site were rejected in 2012 and 2022, as the council had issues with the designs.