Decisions to refuse two large housing schemes that met with significant local opposition will not be overruled by City Hall.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has allowed councillors’ decisions on plans for the Homebase site in North Finchley and the Whalebones estate in High Barnet to stand.

When sufficiently large housing schemes have passed through council planning committees, they are then referred to the mayor – who can overturn the committee’s decision. But in both cases, Khan told Barnet Council he would allow it to make its own decision on the developments – a move that has been welcomed by local politicians.

Chipping Barnet MP Theresa Villiers wrote on Facebook it was an “important victory in the battle to save Whalebones” and thanked the “hundreds of people” who backed her campaign to save the fields.

Developer Hill Residential wanted to build 152 homes on fields near the Grade 2-listed The Whalebones in Wood Street, High Barnet.

Barnet Council received 830 letters objecting to the development, and it was refused by the strategic planning committee in November. Councillors ruled the loss of green land would harm a conservation area and the visual amenity of neighbours.

London Assembly member for Barnet and Camden Andrew Dismore thanked councillors Geof Cooke and Ross Houston for speaking against the plans for the Homebase site and said the mayor had “shown he is prepared to listen to Barnet residents”.

Developer Taylor Wimpey planned to build 307 homes at the site in 679 High Road, North Finchley. Barnet Council received 345 objections to the plans from members of the public.

The strategic planning committee turned down the scheme in January, ruling it would be an overdevelopment and fail to respect the local context and pattern of development in the surrounding area.

The developers can now appeal to the Planning Inspectorate to allow the schemes to go ahead or submit amended applications for the sites.

Last year, Khan also allowed the planning committee’s decision to refuse permission for 652 homes at the former British Gas Works in Albert Road, New Barnet, to stand.