The youngest and eldest residents of an East Sheen street came together on Tuesday to fight plans for a housing development in their cul-de-sac.

Connie Melbourne, 84, and 16-month-old Joseph Anderson joined other members of SOS Avenue Gardens to encourage signatures for their petition against a plan to build five flats and four houses in the road.

It is the third time in two years developers Grayswood Properties have submitted plans to Richmond Council for number 24, and each time residents have opposed them.

SOS spokesman Julia Bates said: “We are all sick and tired of the lazy, sloppy and frankly insulting way Grayswood Properties have approached this.

“They have been sent soundly packing with their last submission, one which was opposed by more than 77 letters and a 1,000 signature petition.”

Residents gathered in Avenue Gardens to watch Richmond Park MP Susan Kramer add the first signature to the petition, which the group hopes will total 2,009 names.

Ms Kramer said: “I am horrified the developer is back again with an almost identical application to the last one.

“This new application is totally unacceptable and real concerns about parking, traffic and overdevelopment have just not been addressed.

“The developer is mistaken to think we will be worn down by this fight. The community remains as determined as ever to send these plans back to the drawing board for good.”

Zac Goldsmith, Conservative parliamentary candidate for Richmond Park, said: “SOS put up the best fight against garden grabbing I’ve ever seen and even though they appeared to have won, the threat is back.

“That in itself is an outrage. How can we even talk about local democracy when a whole community, backed by their elected councillors, can be stamped on in this way?”

A spokesman for the developers said: “The site is in an urban area close to all amenities ,and Richmond Council and the Government are keen for such plots to be developed to a density to match the area, rather than put pressure on green belt.

“The site is very under-used with just one house, and the proposed scheme has a density the same as the other side of Avenue Gardens.”