Overwhelming opposition to the Gayton Road flats plan persuaded a town centre councillor to speak out against the scheme.

Councillor Narinder Singh Mudhar (Conservative), a ward member for Greenhill, was due yesterday evening to urge his former colleagues on Harrow Council's strategic planning committee to reject the residential redevelopment scheme.

The developers, Fairview New Homes and Mount Anvil, want to tear up Gayton Road library and car parking to make way for 383 flats in five tower blocks.

Mr Mudhar, who quit the planning committee due to work-load commitments, said before the meeting: "I felt that by continuing on the planning committee, I would not be representing my residents.

"I have got to stand with them and voice their concerns. I have concerns about the size, shape and height of it and the fact that the blocks are not really consistent with the surroundings."

The general idea of selling off and developing the land exclusively for flats was approved by the Conservative-run council's cabinet committee in November 2007.

In doing so, it controversially abandoned a previous plan to build not only housing there but an arts centre too.

Mr Mudhar said: "I'm with the cabinet on this issue but I'm saying: Yes, develop it, but please develop it in accordance with the Unitary

Development Plan, which says that any development should be in accordance with its surroundings."

Brian Lanning, secretary of Greenhill Manor Residents'

Association, said: "The general concensus is that we don't like the proposal - it's far too big.

"Mr Mudhar feels he can speak more strongly and more effectively than if he sat on the committee and I think there will be a lot of people who will be respecting him for taking that route."