People have until tomorrow to have their say on plans for a tower block and an office block that could make the area “a very unattractive place”.

The current Stretton’s office site at the junction of Hoe Street and St Mary’s Road could be developed into a 90-room hotel in the 11-storey block and five-storeys of offices if the application is approved.

The company behind the planning application, Sidney Jack & Sons, has worked with Waltham Forest Council on the design of the development; which will provide new office space for Stretton’s as well as the hotel and retail space.

The company said it has carried out a public consultation, talking with local ward councillors, neighbours, local businesses and community groups.

But, one residents’ group has objected to the plans, saying the designs are “unsuitable” for the area and claims “no real effort was made” to engage the community.

Adrian Stannard, spokesman of Waltham Forest Civic Society, said: “The Hoe Street area will be heavily congested with construction traffic. This part of the town centre has been a building site for at least two years. This is unacceptable and makes central Walthamstow a very unattractive place.

“Another tower block so close to Hoe Street is going to change the whole nature of the area and overwhelm the existing Victorian terraces.”

Mr Stannard also raised the issue of fire safety and said the group believes that until the Grenfell Tower fire enquiry is over no new tower blocks should be built.

He added: “A fire at this very congested point would have a massive impact on the whole town centre and the risk is too great, so this development should not be approved.”

If approved, building would be due to start in March 2019 and is expected to continue into June 2020.

For more information on the plans click here: https://planning.walthamforest.gov.uk/application-search?civica.query.ReceivedDateFrom=25%2F11%2F2018&civica.query.ReceivedDateTo=01%2F12%2F2018#VIEW?RefType=APPPlanCase&KeyText=183632.

To give your feedback on this planning application, email dmconsultations@walthamforest.gov.uk quoting the reference 183632.