Residents have expressed concerns over plans to build a 21-storey block of flats at Kingston’s historic former post office site.

Developer St George has submitted a planning application to Kingston Council finalising its vision for the Ashdown Road car park, part of the town centre’s Eden Quarter and a key location in the council’s regeneration plans.

The proposals include keeping the listed buildings and demolishing others to make way for a 21-storey residential block in Ashdown Road.

The building has been designed by John Thompson & Partners and Malcolm Fryer Architects and would see the demolition of Argyll House and Brook House office buildings and their car parks, to make way for more than 350 homes, plus retail, cafe and community spaces.

But Kingston resident Tessa Kind said: “I’m disappointed with the brown block designs, and the skyscraper block on corner of Wheatfield Way/ Brook Street resembles the Cambridge estate with protruding balconies, in my opinion.

“It is actually five storeys taller than the Cambridge estate flats – making it 21 storeys. It will darken the whole of Eden Street.

“Why can’t they design an iconic building that the whole town can still be proud of in 30 years?”

Kingston Council leader Kevin Davis said: “In one sense they have worked really hard – they consulted and listened to the feedback that came from that. They are keeping the post office – restoring it, completely preserving the telephone exchange.

“But it does go up quite high at one point. I think there is still a debate about how high we want to go in the town centre. This won’t keep everybody happy.”

Marilyn Mason, from The Old Post Office (TOPO) community group, said: “The TOPO consortium will be happy that all the listed buildings on the site are down to be conserved and renovated for new uses, and that there are several references in the planning application documents to community use.

“We look forward to learning more about that, as our consortium came together a couple of years ago to try to secure affordable and accessible community space in the former main post office, which has been derelict for far too long – it’s time it was brought to life again.”

The planning consultation will be open until January 30 on the council website.