Earlier this year North Lanarkshire Council's planning and transportation committee turned down an application to build a block of four flats and two semi-detached houses in Croftpark Street.

The application, from John Urie of 33 Croftpark Street, was rejected, against the advice of council officials, after protests from local residents.

A total of 34 letters of objection and a 47-signature petition were lodged by residents of Croftpark Street and nearby Hilltop Avenue, mainly on the grounds that the proposed development would adversely affect the amenity of an area where the surrounding properties were detached bungalows and semi-detached villas.

Their objections were dismissed by council officials who said the plan was acceptable because there was already a mixture of house types in the area, including developments of flats at nearby Baird Place and MacKenzie Terrace.

Their recommendation that permission should be granted was overruled by councillors who refused the application following a site visit and special hearing, on the grounds that it constituted over-development of the area and was not in keeping with its character.

But the development is now set to go ahead after officials from the Scottish Government's directorate for planning upheld an appeal by the developer against the council's rejection — a decision which sparked a furious reaction from Hamilton North and Bellshill Labour MSP Michael McMahon.

He said: "The Scottish Government's decision beggars belief and is a travesty for the current residents in the part of Croftpark Street and Hilltop Avenue affected by this outcome. They have my complete sympathy.

"The developer's argument that the existence of maisonettes in MacKenzie Terrace justified the construction of flats in Croftpark Street is absurd.

"The location of those high rise homes causes no difficulty for the occupiers of terraced houses and bungalows in the area as they do not overlook any of the houses around this proposed development.

"To allow flats to be built on the corner of part of two streets mainly comprised of bungalows and in close proximity to other peoples homes is a threat to peoples privacy and should have been seen as such.

"How the Government officials looking at this area could come to a different conclusion from the council is mystifying."

The planners' decision has also angered Bellshill SNP councillor Richard Lyle who, along with Labour members Harry Curran and Harry McGuigan, were opposed to the development.

However Councillor Lyle, stressed that the decision to back the developers' appeal had been taken by officials rather than a government minister.

He said: "I am absolutely shocked at this decision which all three councillors in Bellshill were against. What was proposed was certainly not in keeping with the character of this street .

"This is a decision which has been taken by officials and not Government ministers and I will certainly be raising the matter with my government contacts to see if anything further can be done."