A plan to build flats up to nine storeys high on the site of a home improvement store has been recommended for approval.

Planning officers at Barnet Council say Taylor Wimpey’s plan for 307 homes on the site of the Homebase store at 679 High Road, North Finchley, “accords with the relevant development plan policies”.

If it is approved by councillors, the scheme will provide 35 per cent affordable homes by habitable room.

Barnet Council received 345 objections to the plans from members of the public and none in support of the application. MP for Finchley and Golders Green Mike Freer, London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden Andrew Dismore and Cllrs Ross Houston and Geof Cooke are among those opposed to the scheme.

The wide range of concerns raised by opponents includes warnings the flats would be an overdevelopment in an area of predominantly low-rise suburban homes, leading to overlooking, traffic congestion and pollution.

But planning officers say in their report that the scale of the development is “acceptable having regard to the site’s brownfield, edge-of-centre location”.

They also state that the scheme would lead to “small reductions of air pollutant concentrations due to the expected reduction in the number of vehicle trips on the local network as a result in the proposed change from Homebase store to residential”.

The plan will be discussed at a meeting of the strategic planning committee on Wednesday (January 13), which will be broadcast live over the internet.

Details of how to view the meeting are available here.