Plans to turn a small office building on a suburban road into flats have sparked complaints from neighbours.

A developer wants to convert 17 Park Road, High Barnet into 36 studio flats with two disabled car parking spaces and 32 cycle spaces.

The developer, Samuel Itzinger, had an application to turn the building into eight flats approved in June and has now launched a more ambitious redevelopment bid.

But there are more than 40 objections to the scheme on Barnet Council’s planning portal.

Many opponents warn living in small spaces could have a detrimental impact on the occupants’ welfare and mental health, while others raise concerns about the effects on parking and domestic waste build-up.

A similar application for the same number of flats was submitted on July 4, leading to more than 30 objections from neighbours, and it was rejected by the council.

But just five days later, the developer submitted new plans that are very similar to the rejected proposals.

Offices can be turned into flats without the need for planning permission under ‘permitted development rights’ introduced by the Government in 2013 to help tackle the housing shortage.

It means developers do not have to follow minimum floorspace standards for new residential developments.

Barnet Council has introduced safeguards known as Article 4 directions in some areas to stop office-to-flat conversions going ahead without planning permission.

But this proposed development lies outside of those zones, meaning the council has fewer powers to prevent it.

Earlier this year, more than 100 people objected to plans to turn three-storey Intec House on Moxon Street, High Barnet into 107 “self-contained studio apartments”.

After this was refused by the council, the developer lodged a new application to turn the site into 39 studio apartments. The second application was also turned down.