Councillors will meet this week to decide whether to grant permission to a development residents see as “crowded and overbearing”.

Developers are seeking permission to demolish a house in Lodge Avenue in Elstree and build a house on the site, and four further detached houses on the land behind.

All the houses would be detached and would have four bedrooms. The design would also incorporate landscaping and space for car parking.

However, residents have objected to the new development, saying it would directly overlook their properties, leading to loss of privacy, and would have an adverse impact on wildlife in the area.

They also said the new houses would increase noise and congestion in the area, were too close to the boundaries of other houses and would impact the character and appearance of the neighbourhood.

Permission was previously sought to build six houses on the site, which was refused on grounds of overdevelopment.

Hertsmere Borough Council officers have recommended the council also refuses permission for this new development when the planning committee meets on Thursday.

They argue the new development would have an adverse impact on its neighbours by blocking their light and overlooking their houses.