A “tired” site in New Malden is to be regenerated after Kingston Council approved planning applications at Development Control Committee.

The Blagdon Road multi-storey car park is to be partially demolished and built into a 10-storey building with 91 flats – 28 of which will be affordable.

Lidl and the Fit4Less gym on the ground floor will remain, and a temporary car park with 150 spaces will be set up on the nearby Cocks Crescent site.

The council received just three letters of support, and 65 letters of objection, with residents worried about the size and density of the development, calling it “monstrous” and “too inner city”.

Beverley ward councillor Terry Paton appeared at the February 20 meeting as a public speaker, saying: “I welcome some aspects of the proposal. The car park is tired; it certainly doesn’t attract many people to come and park there, with two thirds of the car park currently closed off.”

He said he was happy that 33 per cent of homes in the scheme will be affordable, but was concerned about the density of the scheme.

Council officer Barry John Lomax told him officers think the high level of activity brought into the area by the number of homes would be acceptable because of the development’s town centre location.

Councillor Roy Arora, chairman of the Development Control Committee, said: “The existing 1970s building is unfit for purpose, with a lot of vacant space in a key area of regeneration in New Malden’s thriving town centre. I’m delighted that the committee has approved these exciting plans, which will see 31 per cent of the homes built being truly affordable, with 14 being allocated for shared ownership opportunities and the other 14 being at an affordable rent rate.

“We assessed a number of factors in reaching our decision, including the impact on the neighbours and character of the local area, the quality of the housing proposed and parking. A number of public car parking spaces will be kept on the site so that those visiting The Malden Centre and the high street are able to do so.”