After a five-year battle, a developer has finally been given permission to demolish a Victorian house and build a block of flats.

Lee Jose bought the property in Bedford Road, South Woodford, in 2008 and hoped to knock it down and create 12 homes.

But a campaign against the plans was launched by neighbours objecting to perceived over-development of the site and repeated planning applications were rejected by councillors.

Mr Jose was eventually forced to scale down his proposal and has now been granted permission for seven-flat block.

Sue Brown spearheaded the campaign against the development and lives next door to the site.

She said: "We are obviously very disappointed, but we were expecting this outcome.

"We will just have to wait and see what happens and hope he sticks to just seven flats."

Chair of the planning committee, Cllr Richard Hoskins, voted against the plans last night, along with colleague Felicity Banks.

He said: "Members felt there was nothing more we could do.

"It was the resident’s strength of resistance that saw these plans reduce in size. They worked very hard.

"But we have got to send a message to developers that they can’t plonk a block of flats wherever they want.

"If we had turned down this application, the developer would have only appealed and then the decision would have been out of our hands."

Mr Jose said: "I am pleased, but at the end of the day it was just another day in the office.

"This should have happened five years ago and if it hadn’t happened now, then I would still be here in five years time applying for permission."

Mr Jose’s initial plans contravened the council’s policy on density of developments, raising fears that swathes of Wanstead and Woodford could be vulnerable to town centre-style projects.