East London council approves new flats plan after complaints from Manchester and Surrey

Plans to build new flats in Newham’s Forest Gate have been approved, despite more than 100 people complaining.

The council met on July 26 and approved plans to demolish the existing properties on Green Street and build new flats in their place.

However, the council received a petition against the development signed by 112 people, and 17 written objections.

Objections from as far afield as Manchester, Surrey and Hertfordshire were also sent to the council.

Those objecting to the new flats said they were concerned that the property would cause overdevelopment and excessive noise in the area, and that surrounding greenery might be damaged.

They added that the building could also contribute to difficult parking and congestion, and that’s its construction would create further disruption around the area.

The current site at Forest Gate is set to be demolished

While most of the of the complaints were sent from East London, a number were sent from outside the capital, including as far away as Manchester.

Eight letters in support of the development were also sent to the council, which argued that the building plans were of a high quality and that it would contribute positively to the surrounding community.

The applicant for the development, Muddassar Kapadia, said that the developers would ensure that the planned buildings would be well looked after.

He said: “We’ve been in the community within Green Street in excess of 20 years. I’ve been here, my father’s been here. We are actually working and coming to Green Street on a regular basis.

“We’re not some fly-by-night developers that are going to run away once planning permission is sorted.

“We intend to manage it and upkeep the property as best as we can.”

However, consultant Geoff Megarity argued that: “The design is very poor quality and results in the site being overdeveloped.”

Three buildings ranging between two and four storeys are set to be built on the site. The existing properties on the site will be demolished, with only the facade of one building remaining.

The committee was told that the properties had been turned into flats without planning permission, but that enough time had passed for them to be considered legal.

A council planning officer also told the meeting that the design of the planned buildings would mitigate the concerns over noise and disruption raised by objectors.

The meeting also heard that the surrounding environment, including the nearby trees, would be protected by the proposed plan.

Jérôme Lejeune, director of Agenda 21 Architects Studio, who designed the flats, said: “We are not extending the footprint on the buildings as they are. Therefore the trees and their roots are already in place around the existing structure.”

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https://www.mylondon.news/news/east-london-news/east-london-council-approves-new-21208094

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