Hopes that the Mayor of London would veto controversial Gayton Road flats plan have been crushed after it was confirmed he would not intervene.
Harrow Council approved proposals for 383 apartments in five blocks on the central Harrow site on May 14 despite fervent opposition from residents concerned about the height, size and density of the proposed buildings.
Objectors were hoping the office of new Conservative mayor Boris Johnson would use its power to instruct councils to reject schemes that are 'contrary to good strategic planning in Greater London'.
However, on Thursday last week, Greater London Authority advisors agreed that Harrow Council's original decision should stand.
Their report said: "At the consultation stage, the former Mayor [Ken Livingstone] expressed dissatisfaction with the proposed 35 per cent affordable housing provision and requested that this be increased.
"The site acquisition cost was of particular concern, given that the majority of the site is owned by the council. Concern was also raised over the mix of social rented units, which was at odds with the guidance in the London Plan."
But Harrow Council successfully argued that the developers, Fairview New Homes and Mount Anvil, needed to be allowed to build more flats for sale on the open market in order to justify the high purchase price the two companies would end up paying the council for the land.
And, the council said, if it did not receive the expected big windfall from the deal, its plans to replace Harrow Leisure Centre in Wealdstone could be in jeopardy.
Campaigner Peter Coppock, 67, of Ashburnham Avenue, said: "Everybody was very disappointed. Obviously, we feel it's not been dealt with in the most democratic way. We will still be looking at other ways to appeal."
Harrow Councillor Navin Shah (Labour), who is the Labour Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow, said: "Boris said he would not allow tall buildings to be built in the outer London boroughs, so the Mayor has already gone back on his election pledge.
"It's quite disgraceful. It's smacks of political favour. The plans fail to address the majority of the serious concerns raised by the previous Mayor."
