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CAMPAIGNERS are urging a community to join the fight against a multi-storey development which they say will ruin their town.

An application to replace the derelict Grove Market in Eltham High Street, Eltham, with shops, restaurants, flats and a GP surgery was deferred by Greenwich Council's planning committee in December.

They asked developer Eltham Renaissance to "bring back a more sympathetic proposal".

However residents say the new amendments are "minimal" and the number of flats has only been reduced by one. They say the modern development, which is up to seven storeys high, is still far too big and out of character with the town.

"We would like to see it halved," said Judy Evans, 52, a nurse, of Wythfield Road. "The changes are minimal."

She added: "We are concerned it will set a precedent for the area.

"If they had just proposed something that was in keeping with the town of Eltham we could have had something finished by now."

However Eltham Renaissance says it has "massively" revised the scheme, which is due to go before the planning committee on May 29.

Martin Wood, project director, said they addressed all the concerns the council raised, such as using bricks for the some sections, and redesigning parts of the building, reducing it by 2,500sq ft.

"It's much more broken up and has less impact than previously," he said.

"We've gone to great lengths to provide a high quality scheme."

Objectors are also concerned about its proximity to a conservation area, Eltham Palace and St John the Baptist Church.

They are asking the town's residents to write to the council to object to the development, which is to contain 129 one, two and three-bedroom flats, two shops, four restaurants, a GP surgery, communal gardens and car parking.

Veronica Denyer, 59, of Court Yard, said: "If you walk around Eltham you rarely see a building that's above three stories high."

They are worried it will increase noise, attract anti-social behaviour and cause car parking problems.

But Mr Wood says there is support locally for the scheme.

"Eltham needs regeneration," he said.

4:52pm Friday 16th May 2008

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