Plans for hundreds of new homes on the site of a station car park have been scrapped after developers said the scheme would be too expensive to build. 

Housing association Catalyst confirmed it no longer intends to build 277 affordable flats in blocks up to 11 storeys high on the car park attached to Stanmore Tube station.

The scheme was rejected by Harrow Council last year after strong opposition from residents, who suggested the proposals were “out of character” with the area and “didn’t meet local needs”. 

The plans would have seen around a 33 per cent drop in the number of parking spaces available, with 146 being removed to make way for the homes. 

Following the council’s decision, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan called in the application for a review. 

This would have given the developers – Catalyst and Transport for London – the chance to defend the plans, alongside representations from the public and Harrow Council. 

But the application was withdrawn after Catalyst said new building costs meant it would be impossible to deliver a scheme that was 100 per cent affordable. 

Cllr Marilyn Ashton, deputy leader elect of Harrow Council, said she was pleased with the decision but warned a future application could still be submitted. 

She said: “Obviously we’re all very happy about this – but it doesn’t mean that it’s not going to be revisited. 

“It’s important that we urgently adopt a planning policy that gives much more details around the height of the buildings that we will allow in our suburban areas. 

“The main objection to these proposals was the height and the general scale of the development. 

“What will help going forward is that we now have an administration that is willing to put the work in to protect the character of our suburban areas.”

In a letter to Mr Khan’s planning department, Catalyst’s Richard Smith said: “We have undertaken a period of detailed review and exhausted all options to make the scheme viable, in conjunction with considering several changes to the scheme to satisfy planning concerns. 

“Unfortunately, we have not managed to improve the overall scheme viability and we have made the difficult decision to not proceed with the process.”

A Transport for London spokesperson they are considering the next steps, "given the urgent need to tackle the capital’s housing crisis and provide affordable homes".