Plans to knock down a house and build four new properties close to the green belt could be given the go-ahead.

Barnet Council’s planning officers say the proposed five and six-bedroom homes, near Arkley Drive, High Barnet “will not have a harmful effect on the green belt”, which lies to the north of the site.

Local MP Theresa Villiers is among those opposed to the plans, which will go before a meeting of Chipping Barnet area planning committee on Tuesday (January 8).

Ms Villiers said the buildings – which would be accompanied by an access road and car parking – would be an “overdevelopment” of the site and raised concerns over the potential impact on light levels in neighbouring houses.

The council sent out consultation letters to 22 neighbouring properties and received 42 responses – all of them objecting to the proposals.

But planning officers say the development would have “an acceptable impact on the character and appearance of the application site, the street scene and the locality”.

They added: “It is considered that the proposal would not have a harmful effect on the setting or openness of the green belt.

“The development is not considered to have an adverse impact on the amenities of neighbouring or future occupiers.”

The applicant was previously given permission to build three houses on the site at a meeting of the Chipping Barnet area planning committee in April last year.

Planning officers say the additional house proposed in the new application would not have a harmful impact on the character of the local area.

The Chipping Barnet area planning committee will meet to discuss the plans at 7pm on January 8 at Hendon Town Hall.