An  Abbey Wood proposal which councillors fear could “absolutely swamp” surrounding homes will go ahead, despite a last-minute plea from the local vicar.

Members of Bexley Council green-lighted Peabody’s application to build a block of 66 homes and business space at the corner of Abbey Wood Road and Knee Hill at their February meeting.

Ahead of a decision, the Vicar of Abbey Wood, Reverend David Sherratt, spoke out against the project, saying “the development would be bang in the centre of my parish”.

Rev Sherratt told members of the committee the building, which would range from one to ten-storeys high, would be “completely out of character with the neighbourhood”.

“The tower block of it would completely destroy the nature and feel of that area,” he said.

He added homes on Knee Hill, where he lives, would be completely  “overshadowed” by the development.

“There’s been no regard for privacy or anything in these plans,” he said.

“A lower scale development I think is essential.”

In response, representatives of Peabody said the development would make use of a “waste of land” which has been vacant since the Harrow Inn Pub was demolished at the site more than ten years ago.

“Given there is a housing crisis in London that is a particular concern for Peabody,” he said.

While acknowledging the proposal would stand out over surrounding properties, the site was in an area earmarked for substantial growth and was within one of only two zones in the borough where developers can build high-rise buildings.

Councillors were equally conflicted over the proposal, with Cllr Val Clark expressing concern over how close the building would sit to the Harrow Manorway, which would be roughly in line with the second storey of the development.

“What I’ve seen so far on the screen is going to stand out like a sore thumb,” she said.

“I think it’s rather too large, it’ll have a horrible overbearing impact on the area from what I can see so far.”

Her concerns were echoed by Cllr June Slaughter.

“We talk about landmark buildings but this is positively overpowering and if I lived in one of the houses around this island site I’d feel completely swamped

by the extent of this building,” she said.

“It’s oppressive in its bulk and its height so that’s my principal concern.”

Cllr Slaughter also said she had reservations about residents being surrounded by roads, including the motorway, “on all sides”.

“They’ll never be able to open their windows,” she said.

“In reality a large road like that close to dwellings in my mind is pretty awful –

I know it’s zoned for residential, but we do have to think about quality of life.”

However, Cllr Brian Bishop urged his fellow members to take a “wider view”.

“The area is changing…In terms of it upsetting village life, I think the height of it doesn’t distract from village life,” he said.

“In terms of the development itself, I think it’s a good and very useful addition to the area. For me, I can’t really see there is a huge reason to refuse this development given where it’s located and how it’s  stacked back.”

The approval means Peabody have permission to go ahead with the development, which will include 31 one-bed, 20 two-bed and 15 three-bed units, as well as business space at the foot of the building.

The housing mix will include 24 affordable units – 36 per cent of the total.

The proposal will see the 66 homes split between two “cores,” which would range from a single storey to ten storeys in a “stacked” approach.