AN INQUIRY has been held into a planning dispute over the demolition of one house and the building of nine others on back gardens.

Shortlands residents came to Bromley Council chamber to voice their objections to the planning inspector who heard an appeal by housing developers Buxton Homes.

Buxton Homes wants to build nine houses on back gardens of seven properties on South Hill Road and demolish a house on Kingswood Avenue to create an access to the properties but Bromley Council refused planning permission.

The council and residents groups object to the building of cramped housing on back land development.

There were two previous proposals by Buxton Homes for the same site which were also rejected by the council, taken to appeal and lost in January 2007.

At the planning inquiry on June 10, Bromley Council's advocate Giles Atkinson said: "Despite the changes to this scheme, what is proposed still fails to avoid over development."

The council cited problems such as noise and light disturbance to existing residents plus a loss of privacy and amenity.

Buxton Homes advocate Rupert Warren said: "There have been substantial changes.

"The scheme successfully addresses the concerns in the last appeal decision."

Eighteen residents watched and seven residents spoke against the appeal, describing how the news houses would affect their lives.

Marilyn Bailey, 63, who has been living in Kingswood Avenue for 29 years said: "I have a secluded orchard at the end of my garden which will be viewed by half of the new houses."

Chairman of Kingswood Neighbours against Buxton, John Guttridge said he was not satisfied with Buxton Homes' survey into whether there are Great Crested Newts on the site which enjoy protected status.

Inspector Julia Gregory is due to make a decision in five weeks.