HEARING tweeting birds led to councillors narrowly rejecting a £6.2m restaurant expansion plan by The Glades.

Under the plan, the shopping centre’s owner Capital Shopping Centres had wanted to build two separate buildings on the terrace at the back of The Glades, overlooking Queens Gardens, to house five restaurants.

It also wanted to build a kiosk inside the back entrance to the shopping centre.

This application was recommended for approval by Bromley Council’s planning officers whose report said the development would not significantly change the character of the gardens.

But leading the fight against Capital Shopping Centres at last night’s Bromley Council development control committee, Councillor Anne Manning said: “I did a recce of the site for about an hour this morning and there were birds tweeting away to me in parts that would be under concrete.

“Whilst it may not be urban open space by law all this land is open land and is clearly a part of Queens Gardens.

“This is not a large open space but it is a very active open space and I think it needs to be protected.

Although the Hayes and Coney Hall ward councillor says she would not rule out the idea of having one or two cafes in the area.

Councillors including Peter Fookes spoke in favour of the development as Capital Shopping Centres says it would have created 62 full time jobs.

But after much discussion the committee decided to vote against the plan because of the adverse impact on the conservation area, the loss of amenity space and it not being in line with the council’s area action plan.

They also rejected it for the way it would change the appearance of Queens Gardens and because they disliked the proposed design of the buildings.