CONCERNED St Albans residents have come together in a bid to defeat a planning application for a new housing development. At least 15 Oswald Road and Ridgmont Road residents are battling against the proposed application, which would see six lock-up garage

CONCERNED St Albans residents have come together in a bid to defeat a planning application for a new housing development.

At least 15 Oswald Road and Ridgmont Road residents are battling against the proposed application, which would see six lock-up garages in Oswald Road knocked down and replaced by three two-bedroom houses.

Kevin Vaughan, who lives next to the proposed development, said that Oswald Road was too narrow to accommodate extra housing: "Not only will the development deprive nearby residents of light to their properties, it will also result in more cars competing for fewer parking spaces and will be extremely disruptive to residents during the constructive period."

Kevin and his fellow supporters, including district councillor for St Peters ward Cllr Michael Green, have invited planning committee members to look around the site this weekend and will be asking them to oppose the application.

Cllr Green, who called in the application to committee, said he thought the residents had a good case: "No-one would suggest that the existing garages are an architectural delight, but this application is like trying to fit a quart into a pint pot in order to maximise profits. Unfortunately this is an all-too-common problem in my ward.