A series of developments planned for a small area of north Teddington will have “catastrophic” consequences, according to residents.

As part of Richmond Council’s controversial linked sites strategy – which allows the authority to permit the development of Twickenham Riverside with no social housing because it is being placed elsewhere – garages in Shacklegate Lane will be demolished and replaced with six three-bedroom houses.

In nearby Railway Road four three-bedroom houses are to be built as part of the same strategy, and Councillor Clare Head said residents were worried about further developments – one at a former school in Strathmore Road and one at Somerset House in Somerset Road.

Coun Head said 51 flats are planned for the Somerset House site, opposite St Mary’s and St Peter’s Primary School, the site of another controversial development.

Jean Doherty, of Shacklegate Lane, said: “The effect all these developments will have on the area will be nothing short of catastrophic, in traffic terms.

“People don’t realise Shacklegate Lane is a designated through road between Waldegrave Road and Stanley Road for all the emergency services.

“If Shacklegate Lane is gridlocked and a fire engine or an ambulance can’t get through there is no other nearby route for them. Lives could be lost.

“It is very worrying. We want a halt to all these developments.”

A Richmond Council spokesman said the plans for the garage site has gone through a full consultation, and the authority was hoping to complete the sale of land to Richmond Churches Housing Trust soon.

He said the former school was on a list of sites for sale, but due to the expansion of Stanley School, which is directly opposite the site, the council would “probably be retaining it for the next year”.

He added the site would probably be sold for development when the council had finished with it.

There is currently no planning application for Somerset House.