A new home in a historic city street has been given the go-ahead after a previous application for the site was met with outrage.

The land between 132 and 142 Fishpool Street, St Albans – previously earmarked for a controversial eco-home – was given the green light for a new four bedroom property at the recent district council planning meeting.

Oakbridge Homes’ previous application caused controversy among residents who criticised the contemporary design for being “incongruous, visually incompatible and a blot on the landscape”.

But despite the amended proposal, which resembles nearby Kingsbury Barn, having received a number of objections, namely for being “too large, imposing and pastiche”, the planning committee gave the project the thumbs up.

Vice chairman of the planning committee, Cllr Mal Pakenham, said: “I think the design of it is innovative and imaginative and the key thing is they are using high quality materials.

“A lot of people have not liked the idea that it is 90 degrees with the other houses but it is quite common in England.

“The test is to see if in a few years time whether it is out of place but in this case I don’t think it will be.

“It is an improvement on the previous application with a much better design which will fit in with the area.”

Peter Godwin, chairman of the Fishpool Street Residents Association, said that neighbours were “less concerned about the design” than the former application as “it will blend in much more successfully.”

He added: “There is a barn on the same side of the street so I think some of the worst parts of the previous application will be overcome.

“Some of the residents were not so happy but the general feeling was that this was better.

“Personally it would be wonderful to see the site without any building there at all but I think this is unrealistic in the long term.”