Revised plans to build affordable homes on an estate in East Finchley have been approved following a U-turn on proposals to build on green spaces.

Barnet Council’s housing arm, Barnet Homes, has been given permission by the council's strategic planning committee to build 16 affordable homes between existing blocks at Grange Estate – a six-acre residential area to the west of the High Road and south of the North Circular.

Previous plans, which would have seen flats built on green spaces at Brownswell Road and Tarling Road to provide 43 homes, sparked anger among residents who warned they would lose play and recreation areas.

The plans were subsequently scaled back to provide 16 homes for London affordable rent. Eight of these homes will be built in a three-storey block on a car park between Willow House and Craven House in Central Avenue. The other eight will be built in a four-storey block between Hilton House and East View House next to the High Road.

Residents continue to have concerns about traffic and parking. The two schemes, presented to the council’s strategic planning committee on Wednesday (September 7), received a combined total of 79 objections.

Angela Donkin, representing Elmfield Road Residents’ Association, urged councillors to open new access routes. She told the committee that although residents are not against affordable housing, they are concerned about more congestion in the single-lane road.

She said there have been incidents of road rage during rush hour.

Resident Ruth Bradshaw said people on the estate wanted more affordable housing, but added: “It has to be in the context of how they get in and out of that space, how they circulate and how they get to their homes, because otherwise it is a pointless exercise”.

Alex Kitts, a planning consultant acting for Barnet Homes, said surveys show there is capacity for more parking and that the developments “will not result in any additional stress to the highway network”.

He added: “Any deferral will result in the loss of £1.6million of grant funding [from the Greater London Authority], given the timeframes associated with this. The decision is therefore critical to delivering these much-needed homes in the borough.”

He said Barnet Homes is “committed to continue to engage with residents”.

A condition of consultation to address their traffic and parking concerns was added by councillors, who approved the applications.