A chiropodist wants to build a five-storey block of luxury flats above her Newington Green business to “frustrate” council plans to build 45 homes, neighbours claim.

Nagina Kausar-Zaman, freeholder of Angel Chiropody & Podiatry in Mildmay Park, has submitted plans to build seven flats for market rent above her premise and the adjacent Kindandental 2 dental surgery. -

Islington Council was granted planning permission to build homes in eight new blocks dotted about Hathersage Court and Besant Court in December - 21 council flats, 21 private homes and three units for shared ownership.

Ms Kauser-Zaman and Kindandental 2 owner Mike Ward both now say their services are threatened by the council's plans, even though the council has offered them long leases and compensation and promised to reopen them in commercial units built in the scheme.

Hathersage Court Tenants' and Residents' Association (TRA) has slammed the new application, stating: "There is no public benefit to the new proposal and seems its intention is to simply frustrate the council's plans and reap private reward."

Islington Council wants to demolish the dentists and chiropodists so it can build seven flats above it: three homes for shared ownership and four units for private sale. The town hall needs to make money from the private sales to fund the council flats.

Planning papers also state the proposed units being offered are of a higher quality and bigger - the town hall is also "considering ways the two operators could continue to operate on site during development".

At a December meeting MS Kauser-Zaman said: "I think [the need for] health care for diabetes is far greater than the need for housing."

She now says the proposal is the result of "many years of planning".

Ms Kauser-Zaman said: "It will not only ensure Islington residents have continuing access to care for a disease that accounts for 10 per cent of the NHS budget, but will be built at no expense to the taxpayer."

Mr Ward is also against the plans because he "extensively" redeveloped the site five years ago.

He said: "NHS Health services to the local community is something we are passionate about and we strongly believe local residents value. It is something the council seems to value less."