A MOTOR firm has said its plans for a new car showroom opposite Walthamstow Stadium will not affect the future of the site.

Peugeot has applied for planning permission to build a Robins & Day dealership, garage and distribution centre on part of the arena's former car park in Chingford Road, Chingford.

But campaigners from the Save Our Stow (SOS) group have expressed concern that the development, along with a planned bus depot next door, may increase traffic to the area, causing jams and parking problems.

The stadium's owners intend to build a housing estate on the site but SOS want to buy it and reopen the venue as a dog track, and fear traffic issues could scupper their dream.

Robins & Day have now moved to dampen such fears and said it wants to clarify its plans.

A spokesman said: "Robins & Day is concerned the facts of the company’s plans to develop a Peugeot Dealership serving the Walthamstow area are becoming confused with other plans for the development at the Walthamstow greyhound stadium site.

"Robins & Day stresses it has been fully open and transparent with its plans for the car park site and believes the new dealership would provide benefits to the local community and local economy and could comfortably co-exist with any future plans for the stadium itself.

"Furthermore, any traffic using the dealership would do so during the working day and not in the evening, when a redeveloped Stadium would incur the majority of its traffic.

"There are also good public transport links in the area."

Transport firm HCT has also tried to allay fears about its plans for a depot on the other bit of the car park.

Both planning applications are currently being examined by the council and a decision is not expected until later this year.

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