A controversial decision to scrap conservation advisory panels for planning applications will “wipe out the heritage of Redbridge”, it is claimed.

Labour councillors voted through the proposal despite all Conservative councillors opposing it at the Regulatory Committee meeting last night at Redbridge town hall in Ilford.

Previously, every planning application within one of 11 conservation areas in Wanstead and Woodford is looked at by the Conservation Advisory Panel which gives its opinion on whether it will adversely affect these areas.

The panel was made up of council officers, councillors and local conservation groups in order to protect the areas of special architectural or historic interest.

Now a Conservation Forum, held twice a year, will replace the panel to discuss issues surrounding these conservation areas.

The council also agreed to lend support for a panel to be set up entirely of volunteers but with no financial backing from the local authority.

But during a heated debate last night, Conservative Barkingside councillor Karen Packer expressed her fear that the move will “wipe out the heritage of Redbridge” and the once the panel is “gone it is gone”.

The current chair of the panel, Snaresbrook Conservative councillor Chris Cummins, said he had received 68 emails from residents in Wanstead and Snaresbrook against the proposal.

He said: “It is a valuable and irreplaceable body which enhances conservation areas.

“There have been many occasion when planning applications have been changed as a result of the panel’s advice, without this conservation areas could be at risk.”  

Council officers pointed out that financial savings needed to be made, conservation areas will still be protected by planning officers, and boroughs such as Westminster have never had an advisory panel for conservation areas.

Wanstead and Snaresbrook Conservative councillors Michelle Dunn and Colin Cronin rejected the suggestion that the council should be using other boroughs as examples.  

Cllr Cronin said: “I am disappointed and shocked at this decision because the panel provides local knowledge and expertise that council officers do not have.

“Groups such as Wanstead Society and Woodford Historical Society know their areas very well and do excellent work advising and protecting them.

“I don’t think we should be citing Westminster as an example of why we shouldn’t have these advisory panels, it has 198 Grade I listed buildings whereas Redbridge only has one.

“Two years for a forum is nowhere near enough because planning applications can only be commented on for six weeks.”

But Labour Mayfield councillor Ayodhiya Parkash questioned the effectiveness of the conservation panel, saying it “had not enhanced conservation areas at all, they have actually gone downhill”.  

Labour Wanstead councillor Paul Merry also criticised the panel, saying “there is a particular demographic involved in conservation”.

He said: “There are serious financial issues we have to address so we want to improve the planning service and save money at the same time.

“The council should be engaging with people on the issues surrounding conservation areas and this is what the new forums will do.

“Everyone will be allowed to participate and it will engage people in a wider and broader way.”