A GLASS-CLAD office building in New Kings Road is to be demolished and replaced by flats and a shop, despite opposition from neighbours.

The four-storey London House, near the junction of Munster Road, was built in 1974 and has been used as an estate agent and mixed-use block.

But on Wednesday, Hammersmith and Fuham’s planning committee approved an application to build a part six-, part three-story brick block containing 25 flats and a shop below.

Neighbours and The Fulham Society are objecting to the development on the grounds of increased traffic, loss of light and loss of mature trees.

The Fulham Society also says the height of the building would be out of keeping with the area, and criticised the design as bland and the demolition as an unnecessary loss of jobs.

Planners rejected a similar scheme a year ago on grounds of its scale, but the new proposals shaved a floor from the design and reduced the number of flats by four.

Officers said a new shop would increase footfall in the area and the applicant had agreed to replace the existing trees. The existing eight parking spaces will go, to encourage greater use of public transport, while a new cycle stand will be built. They said that the impact on neighbours was “acceptable”.

Case officer Roy Asagba-Power stated: “The proposed scale and design of the development would enhance and be sympathetic to the character of and appearance of the existing surrounding buildings and would not result in undue harm to existing residential amenities or the surrounding road network.

“Overall the proposed redevelopment would make a more positive contribution to the visual amenity of the locality.”

The developer, which is described as ‘undisclosed’ will contribute more than £500,000 towards social housing budgets.