NEIGHBOURS staged a peaceful march to fight back against overdevelopment before funding to build “container like” temporary homes was approved.

Residents determined to get their voices heard are furious at plans to build the 28 giant, pre-fab style vessels, on the site of garages in Crown Road, Borehamwood.

The crowd of 100 people marched from Shenley Road to Hertsmere Borough Council’s offices, because they are “frustrated and disillusioned” with the amount of houses and lack of infrastructure being built in the area.

They were accompanied by Labour councillors Michelle Vince and Richard Butler, as well as newly elected Jeremy Newmark, and the protest was organised by Facebook group ‘Borehamwood under Threat’.

There were chants of “shame on you” and “stop buildings flats” as they walked down the street.

They then spilled into a meeting at the civic offices, where councillors agreed to issue £2.2million to pay for the scheme.

It will now need to be approved at a planning committee.

The meeting was so popular that some had to be turned away at the door because the chamber was already at full capacity.

Three Labour councillors voted against the proposals, and nine Conservative councillors - Kelly, Merchant, Quilty, Silver, Silver, Spencer, Turner, West and Worster abstained, but the proposals were still pushed through.

Although Councillor Jean Heywood denied the temporary homes are “containers”, she later slipped up and described them as that twice.

She was also unable to answer how long people will stay there for.

She said: “There are no proposals to house people in containers.

"Over 60 per cent of the homeless applications we receive are in Borehamwood.

“It can take two years to build a brick house but these units can be up and running in 12 weeks.”

The containers are expected to provide temporary accommodation for people found “unintentionally homeless” and the authority say they will be safe, comfortable and secure.

But as resident Tracey Hoy repeatedly asked why her question about the future of these people when they leave these homes, Mayor Charles Goldstein threatened to call security and adjourn the meeting.

Grant Kramer, from Borehamwood Under Threat, said: “We are just average Joe’s with concerns. This is a mounting frustration with dialogue that doesn’t exist with the council.

“It was amazing to see so many people of all ages turn up, and even twenty had to be turned away at the doors because it was full.”

Kristine Wilson said after the meeting: "I think it is unfortunate that there is still no dialogue between council members and the campaign group, Borehamwood Under Threat and I felt disappointed that some of the questions raised by our group were not answered fully.  

“However, the spirit and passion of the community came through on the peaceful protest march and at the Council Meeting and I hope the Councillors take a moment to stop, listen and think about what the residents of Borehamwood want for Borehamwood."