A DEVELOPER whose plans for a Harrow skyscraper were rejected was “messed around” by Harrow Council, a senior politician admits.

Dandara blew large sums of money developing proposals for three tower blocks on the old Post Office site, in College Road, Harrow Town Centre, but the project was quashed by the council's planning committee.

The tallest building would have stretched to 19 storeys and sparked a successful campaign by local residents fighting to preserve the current appearance of the area.

The company protested, with group property director Andrew Wagstaff saying: “Yet again an application has been refused in Harrow on the back of a very strong recommendation by the [council's planning] officers.”

Councillor Keith Ferry was part of the Labour minority on the committee when the Conservatives were in power but now chairs the panel.

He said: “They've been messed around by the council.

“The idea of people having a large project like that, the idea that people spend £500,000 or £1m devising a scheme and bring it along to seven or eight amateurs who take a look at it and say 'we don't like that' is not the way to do it at all.

“You won't get developers if you go along like that.”

The council needs to attract a minimum of 2,500 homes and 3,000 jobs to the town centre, Wealdstone and Station Road over the next 15 years.

Cllr Ferry said in order to draw investment the authority must provide companies with certainty in the form of a clearly set out blue print for what projects will be considered acceptable.

They are currently consulting on a document, which he hopes will do just that and the task will then be to attract investment from developers.

The consultation started yesterday and runs until June 24. For more information click here.