by Roxanne Blakelock Happy residents have won their fight against a property developer to preserve the natural beauty of their area. The Kilburn Residents Association beat off the planning application for a three storey house in their ba

by Roxanne Blakelock

Happy residents have won their fight against a property developer to preserve the natural beauty of their area.

The Kilburn Residents Association beat off the planning application for a three storey house in their backyard.

Crossier Properties applied to Brent council to build the house in the back garden of a house in Brondesbury Road, Kilburn but when the application was rejected the company appealed to the Planning Inspectorate.

After more negotiations with the council the residents saw the application refused again by the Inspectorate.

Cristina Avery, 59, of Hazelmere Road, which backs on to the garden, said: "We are thrilled. If they had let this go through then everyone would try doing it and this area would become a concrete jungle.

"We are a huge community around here. It is a very special place to live. If people just talk to their neighbours and if they care about something, then a small acorn can grow into a large oak, so to speak. If everybody did this then London would be a better place."

She added: "Everyone should be able to look out on a bit of green and the garden is in a conservation area."

The planning permission was refused because of the effects the building would have had on sunlight and green space and the architecture was regarded as not in keeping with the Victorian houses in the area.

A Crossier Properties spokesman said: "This is a shocking result. The company is very disappointed.

"We felt strongly that the application had merit and that the architecture was well designed and yes, it's very different to the conservation area but it compliments it, albeit in a very contemporary way."

He added: "This clearly would not have opened the floodgates. Each application is considered on its own merits."

Chris Philp, conservative candidate for the new Hampstead and Kilburn constituency, has backed the residents.

He said: "Across Brondesbury and Queen's Park and the whole constituency, I have fought to prevent the spoiling of the character of the most beautiful parts of our neighbourhood, and fighting off planning applications is a very important part of that.

"The proposed house would have been an Adams Family monstrosity in a Victorian street.

"Property developers try and say that their designs are some kind of architectural gem but they just spoil the area.

He added: "We need to be continually vigilant because there was another case which was rejected six times. It requires persistence and vigilance."

roxanne.blakelock@archant.co.uk