A plan to demolish homes and garages and replace them with new properties has been approved.

Homes between 13 and 19 St Mary’s Road in Stowmarket will be knocked down along with 34 garages to make way for 14 new dwellings.

But residents expressed their anger over the plans when Mid Suffolk District Council met to discuss the proposals.

Maurice Constantine represented the homeowners who had opposed the proposals. He branded the plans a “recipe for disaster”.

He said: “These properties have been superficially designed and will badly affect the other properties. It will badly affect the amenity value of them – this is why the plans should be redesigned.

“The bungalows would be completely unacceptable for all the residents in the area – see the petition signed by all of them.”

Another objector, Philip Cobbold, spoke at the meeting. He said the new homes would be “overbearing” and “oppressive” for existing homeowners.

The plans include demolishing four semi-detached properties in the street along with the garages.

Two bungalows, one two-bedroom home, seven three-bedroom homes, two four-bedroom homes and two flats will be built in their place.

Paul Bonnett, development director for Orbit Homes, spoke at the meeting for the applicant. He said: “The plans have been designed in line with the council’s planning processes and meet the needs of the people who will use them.”

He said the position of the homes had been affected by a sewer which lies beneath the development.

District councillor Poppy Robinson said: “I’m the councillor for the people who live in that area and I feel I have to represent their feelings and the problems with the proposed development.

“These properties, which are going to be at the end of their gardens, appear to be very large indeed.”

Councillors voted in favour of the application.

A letter read out on behalf of councillor Lesley Mayes backed the proposals. She said plans for the development had been going on for a “long time” and would provide homes with affordable rents.