Residents protested this weekend against plans in St Albans that have been described by a councillor as a "dog’s breakfast".

The planning application included a scheme to knock down 12 garages and replace them with new ones and eight one and two bedroom flats on the site between Hughenden Road and The Ridgeway in Marshalswick.

The plans have been thrown out twice - however, the developers have put forward an appeal which would include these new garages being built around five "old" garages that will stand because the owners do not wish to demolish them.

Councillor Geoff Churchard said the residents of the flats, located just behind Lloyds TSB bank, know the decision is out of their hands so the protest was a way of having their say.

Councillor Churchard said: "The protest went really well and around 20 residents turned out to support the cause.

"I am very unhappy with the planning application, which to me seems like a sub-standed plan.

"There is the awful parking issue around the area and residents who benefit from the garages would be affected because there would be nowhere to park.

"The garages they plan to build would much bigger than the old ones that will still stand.

 "The old garages will be embedded between flats and new garages, which baffles me.

"We hope the planning inspector makes the right decision, rather than the planning officer who passed it. 

"It is a dog’s breakfast of a planning application."

Councillor Churchard also expressed his concern if the flats, better known as the Quadrant flats, were to be built residents would be losing the green space there.

Residents held up placards around the flats on Saturday to get their concerns across and Hannah Pegg, who lives in one of the flats, led the protest.

She said: "We were really pleased with the turn-out on Saturday and the plans put forward would affect our green space, communal area and cause parking chaos around the banks at the Quadrant.

"The leaseholders who have submitted the plans have left the garages to rot.

"Apart from that the leaseholders do not own some of the garages so will have to build over the ones owned by residents.

"It is ridiculous."