OPPONENTS of a council housebuilding plan fear it will damage community life and overwhelm public services.

Snaresbrook Ward councillor Sue Nolan believes Redbridge Council's target, for 8,000 new homes to be built in the borough by 2016, could turn Wanstead and Woodford into souless' commuter towns, by filling them with high density housing developments.

She said: "The council will only be able to meet these targets by allowing more blocks of flats to be built because there is so little room in the borough for bigger houses.

"We have already seen an increase in applications to build these sorts of developments in Wanstead and Woodford, and most have been for one or two bedroom flats.

"These new developments are designed for single people or couples who usually don't have children and tend not to become as involved in local affairs as people with families.

"Wanstead's unique community atmosphere is built on families putting down roots here and I'm worried this will be lost."

Wanstead ward Cllr Allan Burgess echoed these views, and claimed the target, which is based on a predicted 11 per cent rise in the borough's population during the next ten years, would put added pressure on the area's already overstretched public services.

Cllr Burgess claims current uncertainty over the future of Whipps Cross University Hospital, is evidence the borough is unprepared for significant population growth.

He said: "How can we contemplate bringing lots more people into this part of Redbridge when we aren't even sure what facilities will be available at our local hospital?

"I remember when we were pulling blocks of flats down because of the social problems they caused. It seems amazing that we are considering building them all over again."

Council Leader Alan Weinberg agreed greater investment is needed to ensure services can cope with the expected population increase, but he called on residents in Redbridge to keep an open mind over the building of the new homes.

He said: "The fact is we need more houses in Redbridge and we have to adopt a flexible approach to how we meet that need.

"I agree places like Wanstead are wonderful places to live with a great community life, but local people can't just pull up the drawbridge and ignore what's happening in the outside world."