A packed public gallery gave a resounding round of applause as councillors threw out plans to construct a five-storey apartment building on the corner of a “village” street in Weybridge.

Councillors on the west area planning committee refused to permit the proposal by applicant Mark Fitzpatrick to turn an old car showroom on the corner of Queens Road and Prince’s Road into 46 flats and two retail units at Elmbridge’s Civic Centre on Monday night, saying “little” change had been made from a previous application 10 months ago.

The building, if permitted, would have included 12 one-bedroom, 28 two-bedroom and six three-bedroom flats with basement parking and two shops following the demolition of the existing buildings.

Dr Robert Wright, speaking on behalf of 159 objectors said: “A year on we have the same issue and the same arguments. Let’s be clear, 170 people will be living here.”

Councillors took issue with the fact that the developer had not significantly reduced the height of the building, one of the main reasons it had been previously refused, and had only reduced a section of the block by 1.1m.

The new homes would have been a stone’s throw from Weybridge’s popular Red Bar, Carphone Warehouse and Tesco Express.

Weybridge south councillor Glenn Dearlove said: “I’m most uncomfortable with this application. The overall height is still about the same.

“The matter of the building in bulk is sitting almost on the boundary of the footpath. If you go along Queen’s Road, the houses are all set back.”

Brian Fairclough, councillor for St George’s Hill, added: “I don’t think you’ve done enough. This is an important night for Weybridge. This is a local community not a town centre.”

He added that developers are “not interested in the fabric of the community” and that the building was “overbearing to the local scene”.

Cobham councillor Tim Grey said: “This has been allowed to be sent back here with little or no changes. How many times do we have to sit here when developers come back without changes?

“To suggest that Queen’s Road is anything other than what it is, it’s not part of the town centre and that’s clear to me, who doesn’t live in Weybridge.”

However, Jeff Field, representing applicant Mr Fitzpatrick, defended the scheme which he said was of “the highest quality” and was compliant with all planning policies.

He added: “Some 12 per cent of the volume has been taken off.”

The plans were refused with full subcommittee delegation to rapturous applause from the public gallery, with eight councillors voting against and two abstaining.

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