A bid to build four homes on land near two quiet cul-de-sacs in St Albans has been thrown out by a planning inspector.

St Albans District Council rejected Townstone Ltd’s bid to build four detached houses on land to the rear of 298 Watford Road in January.

The applicants then appealed this decision, but on Monday, July 6, the appeal was dismissed.

Planning inspector Hilda Higenbottam, who considered the appeal, said the site “forms part of the rear garden” of that property.

She also said it separates the ends of Forge End and Long Fallow – two cul-de-sacs that run parallel to Watford Road.

Concerns were flagged up about the effects the proposed development would have on the “character and appearance” of the area and the lack of parking provisions in the area.

Inspector Hilda Higenbottam said: “Whilst I find the siting, design and scale of the proposed dwellings would not harm the character or appearance of the area, the proposed garage block and arrangement of access drives would result in a poorly integrated building set within a large area of hard surfacing at a prominent position in the street scene which would result in poor design and harm to the character and appearance of the area.”