Croydon Council has been forced to admit defeat in a nine-year battle over a development in South Norwood.

For years council officers and councillors have fought to stop an unwanted block of flats being built in Station Road.

Planning permission was denied on a number of occasions, but in June the national Planning Inspectorate overturned the council's latest refusal.

The council explored if there was a way to challenge the Inspector's decision, but a top barrister said any further challenge in the courts would almost certainly fail and at a significant cost to Croydon taxpayers.

As a result, the council has reluctantly had to call a halt to the process.

Councillor Mike Fisher, leader of Croydon Council, described the Planning Inspectorate's ruling as "an affront to local decision-making".

He said: "This has effectively ridden roughshod over the wishes of the community in South Norwood and those of Croydon Council's planning committee.

"There needs to be a re-balancing of the country's planning system so these judgements can be made solely by local people.

"I am sick and tired of planning decisions that are entirely local in their impact, being made by some so-called national planning expert parachuted in from Bristol.

"As a council we will now be submitting a representation to the Government to ask that these comments are reflected in the national planning policy framework due to be finalised in the Autumn.

"We want more decisions able to be taken locally without outside interference. I can only add my personal opposition to the decision of the Inspectorate and express my sympathy to the people who have fought this for so long."