A group of Banstead residents have been left counting their lucky stars after plans to build flats were knocked back by the council.

Last year plans to turn a care home at 40 Fir Tree Road into a block of five flats was approved, much to the dismay of pensioner Irene Cross who lives two doors down from the site.

So when another application was submitted to demolish the house at 38 Fir Road and once again replace it with five flats, she was irate.

"I am a 91-year-old lady with cancer and I have to visit the Marsden hospital frequently," she said.

"The noise, bonfires and HGV deliveries in the past year from the building site of number 40 was enough to deal with and I did not wish to have yet another year of noise and dust while another building site creates havoc in the area."

She wasn't alone either.

Karen Martins and her husband Stephen, along with Martin Briggs all thought the development would be out of character for their sleepy street.

So to the application was put to the council and much to the surprise and delight of the group, the plans were rejected.

“I am overwhelmed with emotion, it has been a hard battle but we won this round," Mrs Martins said

"I can only hope that the local community will stand together again assuming it goes to an appeal.”

Her husband added that he felt “elated and pleasantly surprised, it felt like a victory for the local community."

So how did Mrs Cross react to the news that there wouldn't be another development in the road keeping her up at night?

Fair to say she was overjoyed.

“A huge sense of relief as the last thing I need at my age is a building site next door to me."