A public inquiry into the third application to develop the Campion House site will open this week.

The four-day inquiry has been launched by the Government Inspectorate following an appeal by the developers after their third application to build on the site was once again rejected by Hounslow Council.

The latest application to develop the site in Thornbury Road, Isleworth, was received by the council in April 2008.

It followed two previous applications which were rejected by the council because of inappropriate design and over-development.

Following the rejections, Linden Homes, which manages the site, took on new architects John Thompson and Partners to produce the designs for the new application and to manage consultation with the community.

The third application proposed Tigar Hall would be retained as a community base and 154 homes would be built on the site.

However despite favourable changes the third application was rejected once more by the council in December.

Councillor Barbara Reid congratulated the developers at the time for taking the plans in the “right direction” but recommended refusal for the encroachment on private land and the mix of housing.

David Pavett, of the Campion Concerns Monitoring Group, said: “We believe that the council has a strong case. It is time to stop built development on open space with the excuse that ‘planning gains’ are being made.

“This makes nonsense of the London Plan objective of protecting London's open space. London's open space is being diminished bit by bit.

“The area needs homes that the meet a variety of family needs. This application proposes 70 per cent one and two-bedroom flats which is inappropriate in an area of mainly family homes. Some of the design features are out of character with the area. We hope that the Inspector agrees with us.”

The consultation will be held at the Civic Centre from Tuesday to Friday.