Protesters from the Cambridge Road estate marched a mile to the Guildhall to see a controversial development for a seven-storey block thrown out.

AK II Property Investments’ applied to turn their blueprint of a five-storey block of 100 student rooms on in Cambridge Road into a seven storey block of 300 units.

But councillors rejected the bid at a development control meeting on Wednesday evening.

Jill Preston, chairman of the Cambridge Road Estate community group, said: “I imagine there will be an appeal but I think that we will just get stronger. “We know what to do now.”

But Norbiton Councillor David Ryder-Mills said: “I honestly do not know whether he will win this one or not, at the appeal.”