HORRIFIED councillors have refused a developer permission to demolish a “beautiful” Victorian villa and replace it with a block of flats described as an “eyesore”.

Bexley’s planning committee had already put off making a decision on the proposals to replace 106 Bexley Road, Erith, because they were unhappy with the plans.

But the developer was not prepared make any changes.

Neighbour Nicholas James said proposals to squeeze 17 flats onto the site was “far too many”.

He said many of the windows in the block were tiny and glazed with opaque glass.

Mr James asked: “How does the developer expect people to live with so little light?”

He described the house as “the centre piece of this stretch of road which brings out the class of the area”.

Another neighbour, Janice Thompson, spoke about the effect the redevelopment on the wildlife, claiming to have bats and stag beetles, both protected species, visiting from the house’s garden.

Erith councillor Chris Ball backed their claims and said he was concerned about plans to to excavate a basement car park in an area where the land drops away sharply and is unstable.

He added: “Just because the flats will be red and white doesn’t mean they fit in with the surrounding area.”

Several councillors were concerned about disturbing protected species.

Erith councillor Margaret O’Neill declared: “This is an environmental no-go.”

Others did not like the opaque windows. Councillor Mike Slaughter described them as “appalling”.

The developer said the proposal would make creative use of a brownfield site and would create six affordable new homes whose design reflected the principles of other developments in the area.