Woking tower blocks: Council overruled by planning inspector

The tower block complex includes more than an acre of public space and a rebuilt night shelter

A town centre is set to be transformed with five giant tower blocks after a planning inspector overturned the local council's decision to reject the plans.

Woking Borough Council had argued the proposals by EcoWorld London for almost 1,000 homes plus offices and shops would adversely affect the town.

But the inspector said he had "no doubt" the council intended there to be a cluster of tall buildings there.

The tallest of the planned blocks will be 37 storeys high.

The development plan for Goldsworth Road divided the council and the town before the planning committee finally rejected it about a year ago.

Opponents argued that the height of the buildings would cast a shadow over the area and have a "significantly harmful" impact on nearby residents' privacy and daylight, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

They also felt the development would further damage the character of the town centre, which already has towers in nearby Victoria Square that are 30 and 34 storeys high.

The development includes plans for the tallest building in Woking

But inspector John Braithwaite said the complex - which includes an acre of public space and a rebuilt night shelter - would "contribute significantly" to the council's housing need and would not harm the character or appearance of the area.

He said: "It is not... a question of whether the appeal site is a suitable location for tall buildings but a question of how tall the buildings should be."

Bernadette Fischler, who campaigned against the plans, said: "We find it difficult to imagine that this decision to go ahead with five further tower blocks, even higher than what we have already, will be welcomed by Woking residents."

As part of the permission, EcoWorld will contribute almost £10m towards town-centre infrastructure work.

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