HOPES that a housing estate might be granted protected status were dealt a blow this evening after council planning officers rubbished the idea.

Residents of the Lakehouse estate in Wanstead had hoped that the nearby Aldersbrook conservation area could be extended to their streets, meaning that the demolition of homes in their area would require planning permission as would minor adjustments to the appearance of houses.

Redbridge Council planning officers carried out an appraisal of the estate but concluded that it: “Lacks the higher quality early Edwardian properties that characterise the core of the Aldersbrook Estate.”

They added that granting the estate conservation area status would make existing conservation areas harder to defend against inappropriate development.

At a council area one committee meeting this evening, Wanstead ward councillor Michelle Dunn who had campaigned for the designation said she accepted the officers’ report and suggested that the estate could be considered for “residential precinct status”.

There are currently nine residential precincts across the borough and although there are not as many planning restrictions on building work as there are in conservation areas, there are restrictions on alterations and the redevelopment of existing buildings, as well as on new buildings.

Planning officer David Hughes told the meeting: “Redbridge is quite fortunate in that it has this extra designation that’s not quite conservation area status but that is for an area of character that gives it some status.”