Neighbours rejoiced as an application for 1,350 new homes and tower blocks was unanimously rejected.

Members of the Weirdale Ashbourne Residents group (WAR) were delighted when a plan for 1,350 new properties, including nine-storey tower blocks in the North London Business Park, Brunswick Park, was rejected at Barnet Council's planning committee last night.

The decision was based on the density of the development proposed, which many opponents feared would lead to an over-development of the site.

Other objections included the excessive height of the nine-storey blocks, which they believed to be entirely out of character.

Martin Berliner of WAR said: "This is a huge relief after so much hard work despite the difficulties we faced getting information from the Barnet planning service.

"We know it’s one hurdle of many and there is a long way to go but we hope that we can move forward and work with Comer and Barnet for a development which will be of benefit to the local community for both current and new residents."

Chipping Barnet MP Theresa Villiers, Cllr Kathy Levine and Cllr Lisa Rutter also opposed the development, put forward by Comer Homes, and joined residents at the meeting to show their concerns.

There were 250 formal objections from residents, 159 of which were from WAR, and Yvette Hartland spoke on their behalf at the meeting.