A controversial plan for a huge student accommodation block in New Malden has been deferred by Kingston Council amid concerns about traffic, noise pollution and the loss of a family pub.

Kingston’s development and control committee picked flaws with the proposed 310 student flats at the site of the Duke of Wellington pub in Kingston Road. 

Concerns were raised about the levels of traffic and parking around the site which is in an already congested area.

Councillor Terry Paton, Conservative respresentative for Beverley ward, spoke out against the proposed building saying he thought the site would damage the community.

He said: “I am not against student accommodation on the right site; however this location already suffers from a huge amount of congestion which would be made much worse by 300 students.

“Buses already pass by the stops on the road during busy periods because they are full and adding large numbers of students to the mix would be unmanageable.

“It would also be a real shame to lose the Duke of Wellington pub. It’s a real family pub and part of the community.”

The block was also condemned by Councillor Mary Clark who suggested that ‘social garden spaces’ for the students had been snuck into the plans without proper noise assessments being done.

Coun Clark said: “It seems that these new plans have put in social spaces for the students very near to Crown House.

“Surely this would affect the residents and no noise assessment has been done. We can’t approve these plans until that has been completed.”

The site proposal has been deferred for six weeks and will be decided on at the next development control committee in January.