Campaigners lined the streets outside Woolwich Town Hall to pressure the council into rejecting a controversial scheme for housing.

Rockwell Developers have applied again to demolish buildings in Charlton Riverside and build 11 blocks of flats, along with restaurants and community buildings.

The plans concern industrial land off Anchor and Hope Lane and are the latest in a saga over the riverside that dates back to 2016.

Residents groups from Charlton have spoken out against the scheme, with dozens turning out to have their concerns heard.

One campaigner said before the meeting: “It’s everything about it. It’s the height, the density – they’re not local homes for local people.

“It would set an unwelcome precedent for the area.”

However, the controversial plans were quickly snubbed from the meeting’s agenda without a decision being made.

Councillor Mehboob Khan said: “A lot of members of the public here have got major concerns about this application.

“At this point in the municipal cycle, I really wouldn’t feel comfortable considering this this evening and request a deferral of the application and particularly request a site visit for members to be better informed.”

It took councillors little under three minutes to consider deferring the application before voting in favour of pushing it back until after the elections on May 3.

More than 20 people, residents and local businesses, had been listed to speak in objection of the contentious plans.

Rockwell’s plan to build 771 flats over 11 buildings with 210 parking spaces had been earmarked for approval by council officers before the meeting.

The level of affordable housing included is 25 per cent, which is below the council’s target of 35 per cent.

Campaigners say the plans also fall short of the council’s masterplan for the area, which says that new developments should mainly be up to six storeys tall.

Rockwell plans buildings that would be up to ten storeys high – a reduction of 18 storeys from previous attempts, as well as new open spaces and shops.

The developers said previously their scheme would deliver “much-needed” homes to the borough.

A spokesman said: "Following the deferral of our application we remain fully committed to helping deliver much needed new homes for Charlton as part of the Charlton Riverside Masterplan area.

"Following the election we look forward to welcoming members of the planning committee on a site visit and continuing conversations to ensure that the aspirations for this site are realised."