“Snout” houses, monster homes and giant paved driveways are targeted in proposed beefed-up zoning regulations to control infill housing in London’s older neighbourhoods.

City council’s planning and environment committee will consider a package of amendments to zoning bylaws Monday after years of complaints about new homes that clash with surrounding properties in established neighbourhoods such as Old South.

The complaints include huge homes that cover most of the lot and overshadow adjoining properties, “snout” homes with garages protruding from the front and fully paved front yards that don’t have trees or landscaping.

The changes to low-rise development submitted by planning director John Fleming include controls on front and side yard setbacks, garage widths and building depth.

Bob Porter, who served as president of the Old South Community Association for six years, said the issue has been slowly building because there is a strong market for new homes in old neighbourhoods.

“Many people want to preserve the character of their neighbourhood. They do not want to see massive changes.”

The Old South Community Organization supports intensification to avoid urban sprawl and accepts that the neighbourhood is a mix of homes that includes more modern architecture, Porter said.

But he said there has to be some consistency to the character of the streetscape. “People can accept newer architecture. They just don’t like it when a 1,500-square-foot house comes down and a 3,500-square-foot house go up.”

The city staff report said the controls are needed because of new buildings “that are incompatible with existing neighbourhood/streetscape character and do not represent good planning.”

The trend has intensified in recent years in neighbourhoods such as Old South and Old North. Older homes are being demolished to make room for new and often much larger homes.

The new construction frequently doesn’t meet the city’s goals of intensification because existing homes are being replaced by another single-family unit, the staff report says.

City planning staff consulted on the new regulations with community groups, the Urban League of London and representatives of the development and home construction sector.

Last year, council turned down a proposed one-year interim control bylaw to restrict infill development while a study was completed.