A GROUP of neighbours has banded together to fight a developer’s approved plans to turn a chalet bungalow into a “large glass-style house”.

Sixteen of the 22 households in Meadow Close, Hove, are objecting to the development proposed by Andrew Fuller Associates.

Among other reasons, they say it is “out of keeping with other houses in the close”.

The planning application was received by Brighton and Hove City Council on November 22 last year and approved on April 19, despite the opposition.

Joe Field, 45, director of a manufacturing company, and the next door neighbour of the house at the centre of the controversy, said: “The council got 16 letters of objection out of 22 houses, but assigned the case to a junior officer and neighbours say the webcam footage of the committee meeting where it was discussed did not even mention the neighbours’ objections.

“No one from the council came to see us or gave us the opportunity to attend the meeting. Yet for small garage extensions they do send people out.

“I thought control and opinion was supposed to be returning to the residents.

“This clearly shows that the council has put us second and is quite happy to put close communities second over developers just looking to make a buck out of the property spiral in Brighton, which is only further inflating house prices.

“We should at least be able to communicate with the council on this issue and we all feel that our concerns were not met with an adequate response.

“Without listening to us, all the development will do is cause friction in our very tight-knit community.”

Residents say the new house would be very close to adjoining properties and would also overlook the other homes, badly affecting their privacy.

Some of the residents are considering taking legal action against the council over to what they describe as a lack of communication.

Labour's candidate for Hove Peter Kyle has shown support for the residents of Meadow Close and their objections to the development.

A council spokesman said: “A planning case officer visited the site in Meadow Close as part of the application process.

“Information about the number of objectors, and their concerns, was included in the planning committee report, which was considered by councillors before making their decision.

“All planning committee meetings are open to the public and dates and agendas are published on the council’s website.”

Andrew Fuller Associates declined to comment.