A MAN who lives with his family in a cramped one-bedroom flat has slammed councillors for turning down plans for new homes in Highams Park.

Andy Tuzla, of Larkswood Road, Highams Park, shares a small one-bedroom flat with his wife and two children.

Mr Tuzla and his wife, who are forced to sleep in their living room, were hoping plans for 56 housing association flats on the former Highams Park railway station car park site would be given the green light.

Cllr Marie Pye, cabinet member for housing, asked planning committee members to grant approval for the plans because of a shortage of housing, and officers also said the scheme should be given the go-ahead.

But following a petition from residents in nearby Coolgardie Avenue, councillors refused to give permission saying the development would lead to excessive density of housing in the area, would be out of character and would lead to traffic and poor air quality.

Mr Tuzla said he was “really hoping” that his family could live in one of the proposed new homes.

He said: ““I didn't understand because this is a lovely building but it is next door to a petrol station.

“The only person who really spoke up for me was the councillor who is responsible for housing but nobody listened to her.  “Why don't these people want families like us to have somewhere to live?  “We would have loved to live there even if it was next door to a petrol station and opposite a big Tesco.”

An extra 7,600 homes will have to be built in the borough in the next 12 years in order to meet targets set by the Mayor of London Boris Johnson.

Six councillors, two Conservative, three Lib Dem and one Labour, voted against the plans and three Labour councillors voted in favour.

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