Residents fighting against development on the site of the Berwick Road scout hut this week stepped up their campaign after hearing the number of houses had increased.

Neighbours of the Seventh Borehamwood Scout group's headquarters collected a petition against the demolition of the hut and the building of seven new homes.

But this week the council announced it had received a revised planning application from Ridgehill Housing Association for eight homes and a block of four flats.

Ridgehill says it has tried to improve the appearance of the proposed houses and, as a result, has had to include more homes to ensure the site is cost effective.

One of the key campaigners, Sheila Reed, said: 'The planned houses are very close to our pavement and would overlook our homes, invading our privacy.'

Originally Ridgehill had suggested building seven homes which would stand side-on to properties across Berwick Road, which prompted a 50-signature objection petition.

Its latest plan is for eight houses, seven three-bedroom and one four-bedroom, facing homes on the other side of Berwick Road, and a separate flat block.

The existing houses in Berwick Road are around four feet below the level of the road, and residents fear new houses facing them would overshadow their properties.

This week a new petition, carrying 28 signatures, was sent to the council, expressing concerns also about building site traffic and insufficient parking.

Ridgehill's chief executive, Roger Watson, said: 'We have been asked to change the plan by the planning department ,, it was suggested that we try to make it more acceptable.'

Under the latest proposal, the houses have smaller gardens, and are therefore further from the homes opposite, and feature lower roofs and dormer windows.

However, the new design is more expensive and Ridgehill claims it needs to build more homes to yield sufficient rent from the site to justify the extra investment.

Ridgehill's plan also involves the building of a new hut for the Seventh Borehamwood Scouts on a council site, formerly used as garages, nearby on Berwick Road.

Meanwhile, Ridgehill has also applied for permission to build a new hut for the First Elstree and Borehamwood Scouts on council land in Cranes Way, behind the Director's Arms pub.

But the council says it is unlikely it will sell the group's Arundel Drive home to Ridgehill for housing development because it does not have sufficient funds to build a satisfactory replacement.