Plans to demolish a Mitcham scrap metal yard have been refused.

In July last year, a planning application was submitted to rebuild the closed Scrap Metal Merchant Jack Sparrowhawk & Sons site in Commonside East the site as 28 flats.

This drew outrage at the time, namely from the Mitcham Cricket Green Community and Heritage group which wrote he plans were "excessive in its massing and height and offers a crude

response to the context of 1930s suburban housing through 'blocky bays' intended to reflect the rhythm of bay windows along Hallowell Close."

The objection mainly came as Sparrowhawk sat adjacent to the designated Mitcham Green Conservation area.

But now those plans for a four-storey building have been refused by Merton Council.

Listing the main reason why the development did not get the green light, a planning inspector wrote: "The proposals by reason of their size, siting massing and bulk would result in an unneighbourly overdevelopment of the site, and would be unduly dominant and unduly prominent, failing to relate positively and appropriately to local character to the detriment of neighbouring occupiers and the visual amenities of the area."

"The proposals by reason of their design and layout would fail to provide a satisfactory standard of accommodation for future occupiers arising from a failure to provide adequate outdoor amenity space for all units.

"The proposals by reason of the number of units proposed would be likely to exacerbate pressure on kerbside parking locally to the detriment of the amenities of existing residents."