Green light for 19-storey and 10-storey blocks of flats near Ilford Station
The buildings at 74-76 High Road will be demolished to make way for two high-rise blocks of flats. Picture: Google - Credit: Archant
Plans to build a 19-storey and 10-storey block of flats as part of a car-free development in the centre of Ilford have been given the green light.
Permission to demolish the existing buildings at 74-76 High Road and build 122 new high-rise homes, of which 36 would be affordable, was granted by Redbridge Council's planning committee last night (Wednesday, November 20).
Families could get keys to their new homes by early 2023, the applicant said.
The development is part of a bigger "opportunity" site, which includes Iceland and Halfords, which would provide up to 251 homes in total and this planning application provides half of that housing provision.
Images shown at the planning meeting reveal potential for other high-rise buildings on the site.
The 10-storey block will be made up of 36 flats, while the 19-storey block will be made up of 86 flats.
There will be a central courtyard between the two blocks and both buildings will have access to a floor of children's play space in the 10-storey block, the planning officer said, but there will be no parking, including no provision of disabled parking spaces.
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"No specific disabled facilities will be provided," the applicant confirmed. "We are providing play spaces in block A and there will be no segregation. There are no nursery facilities."
New residents will be restricted from applying for on-street parking permits and instead, 198 cycle bays will be provided.
There will be four metres between the 10-storey block and 2-4 Clements Road and the man who owns the Clements Road block spoke at the meeting.
He said to councillors: "From my building, there will only be four metres. That's very close.
"If I built one more floor on my building, from window to window, it will be very close."
To overcome privacy concerns, some of the windows of flats on the third floor of the new block will be obscured to not overlook flats in Clements Road, the planning officer said.
The applicant said the team had worked with Redbridge Council on the development, which includes retail, employment and housing provision, for the last three years.
He said: "We have worked hard with your officers to provide a development we can all be proud of. This development helps you meet your environmental aims."
But resident Paul Scott said the new high-rise developments won't improve the area.
"Due to the sheer scale of this development it wouldn't be much of an improvement," he said.
"It would make the area much more congested than it is. What we should have is low-rise, more affordable development with more open space. This would turn the area into concrete blocks.
"We already have enough high-rise properties in this area.
"There isn't adequate play space for children. This particular development doesn't offer the right amount of affordable housing or social benefit to the area."
The Greater London Authority (GLA) previously raised objections to the project and said even if Redbridge Council's planning committee approves the building, the Mayor of London will have the final say.
