Redbridge's planning committee has approved its first planning application in almost a year.

The committee has only met once since last October and that was to appoint a new chair and vice-chair in July.

The council claims no planning committee meetings were held in that time because developers fear submitting controversial applications during the local election period.

But the committee met on September 21 to give the green light to developer PTB Partnership’s application for one seven-storey and one three-storey building at 1 Aldborough Road South in Seven Kings.

One of the two ‘cottages’ currently on the site will be replaced by the seven-storey tower while the other will be “retrofitted”, with an extra floor containing nine one-bed flats.

Overall, the development will contain 16 one-bed, seven two-bed and seven three-bed flats, with a communal roof garden and children’s play space downstairs.

Members all voted in favour of the scheme.

Conservative member Cllr Paul Canal said: “There are parts of the development I’m not particularly fond of but it’s five minutes from the station.

“It could be an ideal starter home or perhaps a retirement home… and I can see no reason not to say yes to it.”

The committee heard that the development would contribute a “net gain” of 18 homes to the council’s targets once the nine units being replaced are subtracted from the total.

According to the planning report prepared for the committee, the council has accepted an offer of £220,000 instead of affordable flats on the site.

The report said this offer “outweighs the harm” of rejecting the site, given that no affordable housing landlords would be “willing or able” to manage three “isolated” homes.

Council planners accepted the offer after studies carried out by a surveyor argued that, even if no affordable homes are included in the scheme, the development is set to lose £720,000.

Planners received 47 written objections to the application related to the size, design, density and loss of privacy to neighbouring homes, but no members of public spoke at the meeting.

The scheme will not gain final approval until the Health and Safety Executive has approved a fire report as a version submitted initially was not deemed acceptable.