A NEW block of flats in Eskdale, London Colney, will be good for residents who fear it will cause serious parking problems, the company behind the proposal has insisted.

Residents have told the Review they will be forced to park several minutes walk away if Duddrich Holdings Ltd goes ahead with its plan to demolish about 30 flats it owns at the end of the close, replacing them with a block of seven two-bedroom flats.

They have parked for years in the open gravel area surrounding the garages, claiming they have rights over it in the leases on their own flats, dating back to 1980.

But Guy Dudding of Duddrich Holdings told the Review: “It is quite clear in the title deeds it is our land. If people are parking there they are tresspassing, just as much as if they parked in somebody's garden. They just have right of access so they can get into their own flats.

“Over the last 20 years we have never achieved as much as a 50 per cent occupancy rate for those garages. There is just no demand, so we are trying to do something constructive with the site, providing much-needed homes.

“The garage area is very run down at the moment and I can guarantee that our proposal, if it gets planing permission, will increase the value of the existing flats.

“If they want somewhere to park we have plenty of vacant garages in Wyedale - that is no more than 30 seconds walk away.