WITH regards to Unity Square (Guardian, April 24) I can assure those living in the west of Redbridge that many of us living near Ilford Town Centre aren't keen on the Unity Square extravaganza either.
The shoehorning of blocks of flats into the town centre is to Ilford's detriment but there is more to come with massive developments on Ilford Hill.
Unfortunately, it was Redbridge's own planning policies that paved the way for the profusion of high rise blocks we now see. I gave evidence against the high rise policy on behalf of the former Valentines Residents Association but residents' views were ignored.
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Ilford has also suffered from the profusion of takeaways. A misguided national policy started under Margaret Thatcher encouraged local authorities to give planning permission for such developments, assuming they would create employment. I suppose they do, at least for street sweepers and rat catchers who have to deal with the results of such development.
I have quite liked living in Ilford but Unity Square is an irrelevance. I have yet to meet a local person who cares about Unity Square or café society or the night time economy or other buzz words. Such cosmetic surgery is an irrelevance in the face of massive overdevelopment.
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