Plans for nearly 240 new homes on the site of an Ilford car park have been given the green light.

Redbridge Council's planning committee voted unanimously to approve the proposal in Mill Road, which is a single building comprising of three sections, ranging from 13 to 25 storeys high.

Officers recommended the plans be approved, telling committee members that the proposals contained “no demonstrable harms” and would increase housing provision in the borough.

Ilford Recorder: An artist's impression of the proposed Mill Road development in IlfordAn artist's impression of the proposed Mill Road development in Ilford (Image: Telford Homes)

A total of 239 flats will be built to rent by developer Telford Homes on the site, which is currently used as a private car park.

According to the developer, 77 of the proposed 239 flats will be "affordable", while 22 will be available at London Living Rent.

Don Messenger, agent for the application, told the committee how public consultations had led efforts to change the application so it helps to curb existing anti-social behaviour in the area.

Committee vice-chair Cllr Paul Merry said the build-to-rent model was “quite intriguing” and said the whole scheme was “very high quality”.

Cllr Gurdial Bhamra said that the scheme “ticks most of the boxes” relating to the council’s planning priorities.

Philip Jones, a member of the public who lives on Mill Road, claimed that five new developments had been built in the area in recent years and raised concerns about pedestrian safety near the proposed development.

He said there was a huge amount of traffic passing through a narrow one-way tunnel on the road, and that adding an increase in residents was an “accident waiting to happen”.

A number of councillors received his concerns with interest but said they were not material planning concerns in relation to the application.

The Environment Agency withdrew a previous objection which it had filed based on flooding-related concerns.

The development is designed to be car free, with on-site parking only provided for disabled residents - everyone else will be excluded from obtaining on-street parking permits.

Activist Andy Walker said the plan fit into a pattern of “blatant overdevelopment” and raised air pollution concerns, describing the car-free policy as a “red herring”.

All 11 councillors on the committee voted to approve the proposals after a short debate.

The application will now be referred to the Greater London Authority for full approval.

READ MORE: Developments approved in Redbridge so far in 2021