Residents shared “major concerns” with the deputy mayor of London about a 42-storey tower being erected in Ilford.
Redbridge Council's planning committee gave permission in July for Access Self Storage to build flats on the former Bodgers site in Station Road, but the building will need to be approved by the mayor of London's office.
The deputy mayor of London, James Murray, spoke with residents at a meeting on Friday, September, 27 and heard concerns about shadowing, wind tunnelling and poor living conditions.
Speaking after the meeting, Philip Barker, who would "live in the shadow of this development", said: "As the GLA intervened to reject the exceptionally damaging plans for enormous towers at the Goodsyard site in Hackney, they should also reject proposals for a Bodgers tower which would be taller than the United Nations building and the highest structure in outer London.
"Ilford does not need such a monstrosity in a landmark location which would increase property prices for the developers but damage the lives of those needing housing by pricing them out of their neighbourhood."
Meenakshi Sharma, of Ilford Lives Matter, added: "We are tired of Redbridge Council passing these ridiculous planning applications and the mayor's office just rubber-stamping them.
"This has to end."
Habiba Alli, of Reclaim Redbridge, also joined in the discussion and said: 'We are currently facing a mass destruction of our high streets and a complete disregard of the lack of infrastructure and services for the current, let alone future population."
The deputy mayor listened carefully to concerns and said he would take them forward.
However, he emphasised that the council has already set the framework in the Redbridge Local Plan and "council officers then use this to assess planning applications."
The meeting was organised by Sam Tarry, who is standing to be Ilford South's next Labour candidate for MP.
He said: "We cannot break a community to build a new one.
"We need development to create more social cohesion, rather than what we have currently - pockets of people who are disengaged from existing residents.
"I urge the council to ensure that residents' concerns and views are given the importance they deserve."
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