A neighbour facing the prospect of living opposite a new 10 home terrace has branded councillors "little Hitlers" for giving the unpopular planning application the green light.

Sutton Council's development control committee gave planning permission to a scheme to build the row of three and four bed homes on the site of soon-to-be-demolished Orlit houses in Duke of Edinburgh Road in The Wrythe.

Almost 40 neighbours signed a petition against the development which an objector said was like trying to "fit a quart into a pint pot" but councillors voted to grant planning permission to the project at the meeting on Wednesday, November 21.

The plans involve demolishing three pairs of two storey flat-roofed Orlit houses from the 60s and replacing them with a terrace of 10 three and four bedroom houses with 15 parking spaces.

Neighbours said the plans would bring too many people to the area, were out of keeping with the rest of the street, did not have enough parking and would block light from the houses across the road.

Speaking at the meeting on behalf of the 39 people who signed a petition against the plan, Tom Webster, who lives directly opposite the site, said: "It's like fitting a quart into a pint pot.

"We do understand the demands to improve the area's housing stock but you are democratically elected councillors and you have a duty of care to you residents - that includes improving the environment people live in.

"If you allow this in its existing form we do not feel that duty will be fulfilled."

Some councillors on the panel raised concerns about the project. Councillor Graham Witham said: "You only need one reason [to turn down a planning application] and I don't think these buildings as designed are compatible with the street scene."

Coun Mary Burstow called for something "a bit better designed, quite frankly".

But the application was backed by the council's planning officers and the committee's chairman Councillor John Leach and the proposal was carried.

After the meeting Mr Webster said: "The whole process was weighted against us. the chairman wanted to drive it through. They're supposed to be democratically elected but they're just little Hitlers who just want to push what they want down your throat.

"This will be a blight on the neighbourhood."