Town hall planners reject plan to add extra floor and five more flats to former tax office building in Woodford Green

Developer Havenridge Britannia Ltd was granted permission in September last year to develop the three-storey 1950s Charteris House, next to Woodford Tube station, in Woodford Green, from offices to homes.

Work on converting the block, which has stood empty since 2006, to 21 dwellings including six studio apartments and 15 one-bedroom flats started in November last year. 

In May this year, the developer submitted a further planning application to build a mansard roof, a steep roof with windows creating an additional floor of habitable space, on the block to accommodate a further four one-bedroom flats and one two-bedroom flat.

It said the roof “would enhance the appearance of the building” which it claims is currently having a negative impact on the Woodford Broadway Conservation Area.

But town hall planners refused the application on Thursday last week (July 2) because of a lack of amenity space and parking for the new flats.

Redbridge council's planning department said: “The proposal makes insufficient provision for amenity space to be provided at the site, which is located in an area of public open space deficiency.

“So it would be detrimental to the amenities enjoyed by prospective occupants of this development and will result substandard accommodation for future occupiers of the development.

“The proposal, by reason of the resultant loss of on-site car parking spaces and the nature and layout of proposed car parking spaces, would lead to an unsatisfactory development of the site, with inadequate car parking arrangements.

“So it would be likely to give rise to additional indiscriminate kerbside car parking and vehicle movements at and within the vicinity of the site, as well contrived access to the refuse storage area and the bicycle parking space area.”

Charteris House has been empty since 2006.