RESIDENTS have condemned St Albans District Council plans to build five houses, two flats and a car park on a "children's play area" near their homes.

The site, next to houses on Swallow Lane and Martins Court, in St Albans, includes mature trees and hedges, and was originally designated as an open landscaped area for those housing developments when they were planned in 1979.

Scores of residents from nearby Howard Close opposed the housing development claiming that the site was regularly used by children in the neighbourhood.

Yet the plot of land was never formally laid out and has been poorly maintained by over the years, said a council planning officer. Sport England claimed that the site was insufficient for any meaningful on-site open space.

One resident at the meeting, who did not wish to be named, said: "We have already had a substantial amount of development in this area. This will only add to the inadequate parking we have to cope with and there is already a general shortage of mature trees in this area.

"This is a public open space and we are against any development. We want to keep our play area and we want the council to assure us that we can keep this land."

The site is owned by the council and will be developed and managed by Hightown Praetorian Housing Association to provide a 100 per cent affordable housing scheme. Councillor Thomas Clegg said that the site was a very visible area for children to play in. He said the planning application was "totally out of order".

Hertfordshire Biological Records Centre had no objections to the plans which include two four two-bedroom homes, three three-bedroom homes, one two-bedroom flat and one three-bedroom flat. None of the trees are preserved and a tree replacement scheme was discussed should the trees be chopped down. Councillor Malachy Pakenham said the site was very untidy and he had rarely seen anyone using it. The application was approved at the plans central sub-committee meeting last week (July 8 to July 12).