A developer’s plans to build more than 1,300 homes as part of the latest stage of the Kidbrooke Village project have been dumped by Greenwich Council.

Berkeley Homes already had permission to build 1,000 homes at the site, but the developers lodged a subsequent application to bump that number up to 1,306, with a decision on the plans made in a virtual meeting held on Tuesday.

Among the changes were a reconfiguration of block sizes and number of units, with the height of one block increased from nine to 17 stories.

And while councillors were told the new development would provide an uplift in affordable homes as well as potentially adding more greenspace to the area, members were hesitant to approve it.

Cllr Gary Dillon said he was “disappointed in the photos provided” of the proposed scheme as it didn’t allow viewers to “comprehend the detail of the development, particularly on the impact on skyline views”.

Cllr Dillon added he found it “extremely disappointing” that the project only consisted of 38.5 per cent of affordable housing,

He was told by a representative of Berkeley that the extra numbers applied for would equate to “503 affordable homes compared to the 397 affordable homes approved under the extant planning permissions”.

Tory Cllr Geoffrey Brighty also took the developer to task, asking if “one of the main benefits (of the larger project) would be a profits boost for Berkeley?”

Representative for the applicant, Julian Evans, said the “principal benefit is the additional homes it is going to provide”.

“But you will make more money out of it, won’t you?” Cllr Brighty pushed.

“We’ll have to work it out at the end,” Mr Evans responded.

Councillors also voiced concerns over what the extra numbers would mean for local transport, but their main issue revolved around the 151 affordable renting units being placed wholly in a single block at the eastern side of the development.

Those concerns were surmised by committee chair Stephen Brain, who said he was “very unhappy with block J”, where the 151 affordable rentals were proposed.

“I do think it is back-door ghettoization…that’s what my feeling on that is…I’m quite unhappy about it,” he said.

Cllr Brighty echoed he was principally voting against it due to concerns on the impact of the skyline and local transport.

“I’ve seen the effect on Blackheath from this development…it adds to the current unwelcome change to the skyline there…I’m also not convinced by the

transport argument…there are problems with capacity on South Eastern currently, there has been for a long time and there still is,” he said.

While quorate, the meeting saw four councillors unable to vote: Councillors Norman Adams and Mahboob Kahn after they announced a conflict of interest, while Cllr Clive Mardner and Nigel Fletcher appeared to have internet issues.

It led to the eight remaining councillors voting with four in favour, and four against, the beefed-up proposal.

Chair Cllr Brain had to use his casting vote to decide, stating he “can’t be hypocritical” – and reiterated his earlier vote against the proposal, breaking the deadlock.

While the result wouldn’t have thrilled the developer and supporters of the project, at least one resident who spoke earlier in the meeting could be seen on screen cheering, clapping her hands and pumping her fists in the air in celebration.