A car wash in Chessington could be demolished to make way for affordable housing.

The plans for a four-storey block of flats in Bridge Road on the site of the FTJ Car garage are being considered by Kingston Council planning officers.

The application submitted by Paragon Community Housing Group calls for 13 units, ranging in size from one- to three-bedroom flats.

But car wash director Fitim Kingji said he was worried for staff.

He said: “We can’t just drop people in the street.

“It is not very good news at all. We have got so many people coming here and they do not want the place to be shut down.”

The site, next to Chessington North railway station, was previously targeted for affordable housing in 2008 by the Richmond upon Thames Churches Housing Trust, a Paragon subsidiary.

That application was refused and an appeal was dismissed in October 2009. It included plans for 10 flats, from one- to four-bedroom units.

The new application includes updated architects’ drawings from 2008.

Paragon said the application incorporates comments made by Kingston Council’s planning department following a pre-planning application report.

It said it held its own public consultation in December last year and submitted its scheme this April.

Residents objected to the 2008 application, saying the proposed building would block out sunlight in the surrounding area, and that a lack of parking would cause disruption in surrounding streets.

Kingston Council’s highways department said it could not support the old plans due to parking concerns.

Colin Punch, chairman of the Chessington District Residents’ Association, said the group will take an interest in the new application.

He added: “There is a thriving business there now, so it could put people out of a job. It suits the community as it is, there’s lots of people coming in and out.”

A date for a public consultation on the plans is yet to be finalised.