Sudbury neighbours are urging Brent’s planning chiefs to reject “excessive over-development plans” for a repair site near their homes.

An application has been lodged to demolish the single-storey Keelers car repair and MOT building and replace it with a multi-storey tower for offices and flats.

Under the plans, the proposed block is provided with just one car parking space – for a disabled driver.

Former Liberal Democrat council leader Paul Lorber said Brent Council’s “car free” policy, given to development areas for which planning permission has been granted, was a “sham”.

He said: “Residents fear that extra parking will result in their own roads and that congestion in the area will get even worse.

“New homes result in more cars as evidenced by nearby housing development in Williams and Fisher Ways where provision of inadequate car parking spaces has resulted in cars being parked on double yellow lines all over the new estate.”

He added: “Residents fear that they will be forced to accept a Controlled Parking Zone and pay exorbitant parking charges imposed by Brent Council on residents who simply want to park in their own street.”

Amit Khare, who lives in District Road, added: “As local people, all we want is to enjoy our local area and not have unrealistic development plans imposed on us.

“Every sane person knows that large new offices and 24 new flats will generate more cars requiring parking and many more visitors coming by car to the area, making local traffic congestion even worse.

“We are asking every councillor on the planning committee to ask themselves whether they consider these plans sensible and whether they would like a block of 24 flats with offices on the ground floor with just one parking space built in their street.

“If not – then they should support us and reject these unrealistic plans.”

The Keelers site is close to the busy Bridgewater Road roundabout in Harrow Road, and to Sudbury Town Underground and Sudbury & Harrow Road mainline stations, making it a catch for developers.

Campaigners said parking spaces in the residential roads are already at a premium.