Residents of a road with an award-winning community garden set to be destroyed to make way for affordable housing have lodged a formal complaint against the plans.

In May, Richmond Council’s planning committee approved plans to knock down lock-up garages in Sherland Road, Twickenham, and Railway Road and Shacklegate Lane, Teddington, for housing.

The demolition of the garages – part of the council’s linked sites strategy, which involves building 13 three-bedroom affordable houses on the garage sites and not insisting on affordable homes on the controversial Twickenham Riverside site as a result – would also lead to the destruction of a wildflower and wildlife garden in Sherland Road.

Residents in the three streets have formally complained against the decision.

Julie Hill, of Sherland Road, said: “The official complaint states the planning decision was made on the basis that affordable housing should take precedence over the needs of existing communities and planning policies and that the decision was flawed, undemocratic and should be reviewed before the garage sites are sold.”

A Richmond Council spokesman would not comment on the complaint while an investigation was in progress.

Meanwhile, a request for independent scrutiny of the accounts of the Twickenham Riverside developers has been made by Conservative councillors, after fears over its delayed publication.

Council leader Serge Lourie confirmed he would not sign the contract with the developers until he has received their accounts, which are expected by the end of the month.