Plans to build two tower blocks in Abbey Wood have been approved after the developers changed their design from the heavily criticised old versions.

Residents had urged Greenwich Council to reject the older plans for a 28-storey “drab grey tower block” in March this year.

Joel Roberts, from local resident’s group PARC, said at the time that the design was “a modern day replica of the infamous grey concrete Thamesmead towers.”

He said: “If this development goes ahead as proposed, the first and lasting impression that visitors will see on approach to Abbey Wood is a drab grey tower block.”

Developers Shedkm Architects went back and submitted a redesign of the towers, submitting the new look to Greenwich planning board on August 15.

The full design lowers the height of the two towers, going from 28 storeys to 21 and the other tower from 15 to 14 storeys, with a combined total of 245 homes.

The location of the new towers will be 100 metres north of Abbey Wood station and next to the recently completed Sainsbury’s.

In June and July this year, contractors from the developers went out into Abbey Wood with their redesigns and asked locals whether they liked the new look of the towers.

According to Shedkm, the overall reaction to the proposals for the site was positive with 82 per cent of people rating the quality of the building designs favourably.

The plans were approved by Greenwich Council planning board on October 3.