Harpenden is in danger of becoming a "rich commuter belt" if plans to build 31 homes at the site of the last hotel in the town are approved, residents fear.

Fairview New Homes has submitted an application to St Albans District Council to demolish buildings on the former Harpenden House Hotel site in Southdown Road and build four storeys of houses and flats. 

A second planning application has been submitted for the Grade II* listed building to convert it into three two-bed flats and two three-bed flats. 

Barry Watson, who lives in Arden Grove just behind the proposed development, said he was "appalled" by the concept.

He said: "The plan for the development is out of scale with anything else in the area. It would be blight on our town.

"When the hotel itself applied for a three-storey extension it was refused two or three times, on the basis that the height of the extension must not exceed the listed building and they ended up building the two wings."

Mr Watson, a retired chartered engineer, said that he is not opposed to development, but not to this scale.

He added: "This would be a major redevelopment of a very sensitive site in Harpenden. 

"As one of the neighbours most affected I am concerned not just at the impact on our house, but on the views across the Common and from Arden Grove."

Since customers were told on Valentine’s Day that the 300-year-old hotel would be closing its doors to build flats, residents launched a Save the Harpenden House Hotel petition, which collected 1,695 signatures.

Petition organiser Hilary Taylor said the town definitely still needed a hotel and she would be "very disappointed" if the current plans went ahead. 

She said: "The proposal is entirely inappropriate. If this went ahead, it would only be a matter of time before developers try to replace the hotel on green belt land.

"This really is poor local planning. It is hard to imagine more houses on the tiny road and in the town centre. We also need more affordable housing here but these will be super millionaire places. 

"This is another step towards Harpenden becoming an overcrowded commuter place with to infrastructure to cope.

"We have had more than 1,000 sign up to our Facebook page which just goes to show how many are opposed to it."

There would be 70 car parking spaces on the site, including one disabled space and eight dedicated visitor spaces.

Chris Marsden, chair of the Haprenden Society, said: "The hotel has long been a valued part of Harpenden's infrastructure, providing an important service for both residents and visitors alike. 

"The Society is concerned that this may be yet another example of where the market value of housing development is allowed to trump all other considerations, thereby gradually reducing the overall quality of life in the town and the services it provides to its residents.

"I do believe that Harpenden is in danger of being gradually rendered a less pleasant place to live by allowing the market value of new housing development to trump the social value of our infrastructure, which simply cannot compete if only market value is considered."

Harpenden Town Council planning committee  are meeting in Harpenden Town Hall at 7.30pm on November 25 to consider the application. 

Consultation for both applications ends on December 3. To comment visit: http://harpendenhouseconsultation.com/