Cat Hill campaigners pledged to continue the fight against 260 houses being built in their neighbourhood.

More than 250 people attended a meeting last night at the Monastery of Christ the King in Oakwood to hear ten presentations from people who are strongly opposed to the plans proposed by housing association L&Q.

If planning permission is granted by Enfield Council on March 7, the former Middlesex University site in Cat Hill would be transformed into a housing development.

At least ten per cent of the properties would be designated to social housing for lower income families.

Concerns raised in the heated debates highlighted increased traffic, harm to wildlife, an increase in crime and an over-stretched health care.

Christine Williams, an NHS consultant who lives in Lakeside Crescent, Barnet, said GPs in the area and the closest hospital, Chase Farm, would be stretched to capacity.

Mrs Williams, who said she would move from the area if planning permission was approved, said: “We have an aging population in Enfield and Barnet.

“The age of the population is extremely high in Edmonton so the issue is that the elderly people, who need more appointments, will not be seen by doctors in time and they will die.”

David Kent, who has worked in an admin role for a pharmacist in the borough raised similar concerns.

He said: “GPs in the area are already overcommitted and with the amount of housing there will be a massive need for more surgeries. It doesn’t look good for us getting an appointment when we want one.”

Wildlife campaigners also highlighted concerns about great crested newts and bat roosts at the former university site.

Rasheed Sadegh-Zadeh, who lives in Enfield and is a member of the crime and safety scrutiny panel for Enfield Council, said more people living on the site would lead to more crime in the area.

Concerns of increased traffic were also raised at the meeting. Neil McIndoe, an architect and manager for projects similar to Cat Hill, said traffic would increase by three to five per cent.

L&Q previously said that any increase in traffic would be similar to when the site was used as a university campus, which accommodated 2,000 students and 200 staff.