PLANS to open a new takeaway across the road from a primary school face fierce opposition from concerned parents.

Developer Jamil Sheikh wants to turn electrical shop, Wanstead Domestic Appliances, at 19 Wanstead High Street into a takeaway.

But the application has attracted dozens of objections including several from people with children at nearby Wanstead Church School.

Beryl Darling, 50, lives on Belgrave Road and has an 11-year-old at the school.

She said: “If they were talking about opening a smoothie bar where children were encouraged to eat fresh fruit I would be fine.

“But we already have enough fast food shops on the High Street and we don’t need another.

“Places like this are just like honeypots to children.”

Patricia Rochester-Bergamini, 49, lives in Leytonstone, but also has a child at the school.

She said: “I just think it’s sad that so many shops are being turned into takeaways.

“We will become a little America if we are not careful.

“It is very important that we do as much as we can to preserve the unique fabric of places like Wanstead High Street.”

Wanstead High Street already has a number of other takeaway restaurants, and several objectors have raised concerns that they are contributing towards problems with rats and litter.

Objecting to the plan, Spratt Hall Road resident Sally Kelly, who has lived in Wanstead for 35 years, writes: “We have enough places where you can buy takeaway food in Wanstead – two supermarkets, three bakers, kebab, fish and chip, pizza, chicken, three Chinese, four Indian and at least three coffee shops.”

She adds: “The bins available in Wanstead are too small to cope with rubbish when the weather is warm.

“This does encourage rats, squirrels and foxes.”

The Wanstead Society has also objected to the plans.

Their spokesman Geoff Horsnell said: “We just don’t need another takeaway on the High Street.

“There are more than enough here as it is.”

But Mr Sheikh said: "It's going to be an Indian takeaway specialising in grilled foods like kebabs and steaks.

"It will not be targeting children in any way.

"Business is going very badly and we have very few customers at the moment. I need to do this to survive.

"The High Street is becoming more about food and people need to accept that."