Controversial plans for redevelopment in New Malden were given the go-ahead by councillors, despite residents' concerns of overcrowding.

Plans include demolishing the buildings at numbers 5 to 29 Coombe Road and building one three-to-five storey and one six-to-seven storey building, holding between them 83 homes, as well as shops and office space.

Councillors voted the proposals through by seven votes to four, with all support coming from Conservatives.

New Malden Residents Association chairwoman Dr Liz Meerabeau objected to the development, particularly on the grounds of density.

She said: “I think the council is riding roughshod over the current density guidelines in the London Plan. The council is also being contradictory, because they are saying ‘save our suburbs’, and criticising the London Plan at meetings, but also going well above the density it suggests in Coombe Road.

“We have several developments in New Malden that have gone over that. New Malden has been identified as an opportunity area, but it seems all the council is interested in is opportunities for housing here.

“What other opportunities have we got for New Malden? That’s what we want to know.”

The scheme was approved with the condition that the developer is urged to work with councillors and the public to look at the design “with an eye to finessing the facades”, after concerns were raised about the buildings’ character.

Beverley Tourle was at the Development Control Committee meeting on March 20 representing the developer.

She argued against criticism of the number of affordable homes (just six – 7.2 per cent of the 83), by saying the profitability of the scheme had been cut from 17.5 per cent to 12 per cent – before there were no plans for affordable housing at all.

The proposed density has also been reduced from the original proposals, which included 123 homes, which council officers said was excessive.

She also blamed the site value and the build cost being higher than the nearby Blagdon Road development, which was approved in February with 33 per cent affordable housing.

The developer will also contribute £200,000 to the council’s “mini-Holland” GoCycle scheme.