PLANS to convert an office into a house have been pulled up by the council over concerns "relentless profiteering" will mean chaos for neighbours.  

In December last year owner of Woods Fish Bar in South Woodford Richard Ozbek applied to convert the office at the back of the site in George Lane into a two bedroom house. 

But despite the proposals only receiving one objection, they will go before Redbridge Council's regulatory committee tonight (April 19), over fears too many of the buildings behind George Lane are being turned into housing. 

Liberal Democrat Roding Cllr Gwyneth Deakins is worried residents in Station Passage and Cowslip Road are being increasingly overlooked. 

She said: "Station Passage runs directly behind George Lane and lots of the dwellings have been granted permission to be turned into housing. 

"I'm very concerned about housing density down there and the council allowing lots of separate planning applications without looking at the bigger picture. 

"There has been no proper review of what all these proposals will mean for residents. 

"It's getting very chaotic and there's absolutely no parking control either. 

"If they don't look at this properly it's going to mean a parking nightmare, rubbish issues, noise nuisances, and all the rest of it." 

Usually every planning application should include "between one and one and a half parking spaces per scheme". But because the development site currently has no associated car parking, there are no further plans for any spaces included in the proposal. 

Graeme Piper, of Cowslip Road, said: "Yet again I write to complain about buildings directly overlooking my property, my garden, and into the privacy of my home. 

"We moved here because we have a disabled son whom we wanted to have his own privacy, which would in turn mean neighbours wouldn't complain about him disturbing them. 

"This is an invasion of my privacy that seems to make no difference because of the relentless will to profiteer from converting garages into houses in Station Passage that the council just allows." 

Mr Obzek's application insists Cowslip Road properties will not be overlooked "because of the angle of the windows". 

He said: "I can see their concerns, it is getting quite crowded down there, but my neighbours both sides at number 61 and 65 have had their planning applications approved straight away. 

"I don’t understand what's different about mine." 

Redbridge Council's committee will determine the application at a meeting at the town hall in Ilford at 7.15pm tonight.