WOODFORD GRN: Horse and Well petition submitted (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

WOODFORD GRN: Horse and Well petition submitted

3:17pm Wednesday 8th February 2012 in News By Tom Porter

DESPITE having lost their battle to prevent a developer demolishing part of a historic pub, a petition submitted by campaigners could help keep schoolchildren safe from increased traffic.

Two separate applications to demolish part of the historic Horse and Well pub in High Road, Woodford Green, and build flats have been rejected by Redbridge Council in the last two years.

However, in December last year the Planning Inspectorate overruled the council’s decision, paving the way for part of the 18th century pub’s roof to be demolished and replaced by flats.

Four houses will also be built in what is currently a car park at the rear of the pub.

Residents have expressed their anger at the decision, claiming that the new conservation area status of the area was not taken in to account by the Planning Inspectorate who also failed to recognize that insufficient parking spaces had been provided in the plans.

Having recently submitted a petition signed by 15 residents to both the Planning Inspectorate and Redbridge Council, their views will be taken in to account in a council decision over whether to turn a stretch of road near a primary school in to parking spaces for the development or make it safer for pupils.

Lisa Holbrook, 31, of Aldeborough Place, said: “Basically the Planning Inspectorate has allowed the decision to go through but has not taken in to account certain facts.

“It has been approved on the basis that there are eight parking spaces for residents at the flats on a pavement outside but there are not."

When the application was first approved her neighbour, Jackie Blount, 62, remarked of the development: ““It’s an accident waiting to happen. It would be terribly dangerous for our children."

It has transpired since the application was approved on appeal, that the stretch of pavement belongs to Redbridge Council, who are obliged to take residents’ concerns voiced in the petition in to account when deciding whether to allow vehicles to park there.

Redbridge Councillor Michael Stark said: “We own the land and it is our decision whether to put a pavement there for schoolchildren and prevent cars parking there.

“Highways will take residents’ concerns as expressed in the petition into account when making the decision.”

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