There was dismay after councillors approved an application for penthouses to be built on the roof of existing blocks of flats.

Hertsmere Borough Council granted permission for four three-bedroom duplex penthouses to be built in High Firs, Gills Hill.

The council received 31 letters of objection from people living near the flats.

Objectors warned the new flats would result in loss of privacy to neighbouring homes and gardens, would be out of keeping with the area and worsen traffic.

They also claimed that the site will become overdeveloped and the building will be more intrusive than it currently is.

Planning consultant Carolyn Apcar, speaking on behalf of the objectors, said: "The proposals are clearly for an additional two floors. While the existing building has four floors overall, it is on sloping land which is for most part only three floors visibile above from the ground level, certainly when viewed from Gills Hills.

"As a result the two additional floors will completely unbalance the building and make it appear very top heavy.

"Based on the figures from your report, the proposals will add another 67 per cent to the overall height of the building.

"It will be significantly higher than the two-storey houses in Gills Hill and the surrounding streets. The existing blocks already looms over the adjacent houses in Barn Close."

Ms Apcar also voiced concerns over parking and the impact the devlopment may have on protected trees in the surrounding area.

During the debate, many councillors said that the proposals actually enhanced the look of the building, which currently looks "institutional", and felt the extra storeys would not be overbearing.

The application was approved with only two councillors voting against it.

Joe Parkinson, chairman of High Firs said: "I am extremely pleased that the plans have been approved. It is something we have been working on for some considerable amount of time and we can now start moving forward."