WALTHAMSTOW: Government intervenes to stop housing development (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

WALTHAMSTOW: Government intervenes to stop housing development

5:01pm Thursday 12th May 2011 in Your Local Areas By Daniel Binns

PLANS for a controversial housing development featuring 560 flats, shops and a medical centre have been refused permission after the Government overruled its own planning inspector.

Developers Hadley Homes originally had their application for the proposed complex at the Kimberley Industrial Estate, off the Billet Road in Walthamstow, turned down by the council back in April 2010.

They appealed to the national Planning Inspectorate and won earlier this month.

But now Eric Pickles, the Communities and Local Government secretary, has stepped in to stop the plan.

Mr Pickles said he agreed with many of the points made by the inspectorate but said there were still a number of flaws with the plan.

He said there were concerns over whether affordable housing at the development could be guaranteed and said such promises did not cover the whole site.

A report explaining his decision said: "the means of delivering the affordable housing and financial contributions towards improving the infrastructure of the area by way of a unilateral undertaking are flawed...there is no guarantee that they would be provided."

Residents, police and the council have all been against the proposals.

Police were concerned that the development's planned underground car park would attract crime, while residents worried about the huge size of the complex and its impact on the surrounding community.

Campaigners say they are not against the redevelopment of the site, but argue that the plans drawn up by Hadley Homes are poorly designed.

The industrial estate was the scene of a large fire last month which is still being investigated by the fire brigade, although it is not being treated as suspicious.

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