A PARTLY completed flats block is now likely to be finished after five years in limbo, with extra homes included in the development.

Bradstowe House, Greenhill Way, Harrow, has been a concrete skeleton since the developers ran out of money in 2008.

Harrow Council has approved an amended planning application including fewer commercial uses and more apartments in the building – but could waive the £2million-plus community contribution it is owed by Comer Homes.

The money from the company, from a Section 106 agreement, was intended to go towards affordable housing in the borough.

On Wednesday last week, the council’s planning committee granted permission for a new design using just one floor for commercial use and increasing the number of flats from 144 to 177. There will be 60 one-bedroom flats and 117 two-bedroom flats, none of which will be ‘affordable’.

Labour councillor Sue Anderson, of Greenhill Ward, said: “It is an enormous relief that something is going to happen. To get Bradstowe moving and to have people living there would be wonderful.”

A council spokeswoman said the authority will now assess whether Comer Homes can afford its Section 106 contribution. It intended to recover as much of the money as possible.

Irene Wears, on behalf of Campaign for a Better Harrow Environment, said finishing the development at any cost was not a satisfactory outcome.

“It is a horrendous building,” she said. “We appreciate the attempts of the planning department to negotiate a new deal, however, we consider that this will be poor compensation for the lost affordable housing.

“It is by no means clear that this development will make a meaningful contribution to our vision for Harrow.”

Robert Sprunt, of Sprunt Architects, which invested £40m last month towards completion of the Bradstowe House project, said work is expect to start in September and take about 15 months.

Comer Homes declined to comment.