Developers have pulled the plug on plans to build 231 flats on the former Kingston Power Station, after damning criticism by London Mayor Ken Livingstone.

The application was for one of the most important sites in Kingston, adjacent to the riverside in Skerne Road.

Mr Livingstone slammed the plans for a five- to seven-storey residential block and had even reserved the right to veto them if Kingston Council gave approval against his advice.

He said there should be around 20 per cent more bedrooms in the development, which is close to transport links and in the town centre, in accordance with the London Plan's housing density guidelines.

In a letter to developers NHP Leisure, London Assembly head of planning decisions Giles Dolphin said: "In terms of design, the proposal is bland and would not do justice to this town centre and riverside location. The scheme does not have any relationship to the public realm, is impermeable and suffers from a lack of design concept."

The letter also criticised the lack of wheelchair-friendly flats and said there was no specific provision for solar panels or other environmentally friendly devices.

Indigo Planning, agents for NHP Leisure, announced yesterday it had withdrawn the application and would conduct further talks with Kingston Council and the London Assembly. NHP Leisure plans to submit a new plan.

London Assembly member for Kingston Tony Arbour agreed the mayor was right to reject the plan, but said Mr Livingstone's demands for more room "could only mean a skyscraper wholly out of scale with nearby sites and the riverside".

The scheme, which replaced plans for a hotel given outline planning permission in 2002, was criticised by the Kingston Society, which said there was a lack of imagination in the design, which retained the look of a hotel. Other residents said they wanted a crche, dentist or other community facility, a proposal supported by Mr Livingstone.