CONTROVERSIAL plans to demolish a house to make way for ten flats are due to go to planning appeal for the THIRD time in as many years.

Hillcote Ltd have already had plans to demolish 51 Epping New Road, Buckhurst Hill, to build the block of flats turned down three times by Epping Forest District Council and twice by the Planning Inspectorate.

They have now appealed to the Inspectorate for the third time despite the lingering fears of neighbours about increased traffic problems from the development..

Sylvia Norris, 75, of Stag Lane, Buckhurst Hill, said:“We've already had 70 flats built here. No-one uses the car park- they're all parked along the main road up the top here. What's going to happen with that block down there? The same thing. We're not objecting to the flats, we're objecting to the amount of traffic.

“Three times we've been to the council protesting. I've lived here 37 years and when they bought that house, you couldn't see it because it had trees all around it and within a few days the trees were being cut down. Obviously they bought the house with that in mind- to pull it down to build flats.”

Hillcote's application was turned down for the third time by the district council in June after objections from Buckhurst Hill Parish Council and over a dozen neighbours concerned about the dangers of increased parking and traffic.

Luke Selby, 46, of Epping New Road, said: “It's the same old story. You get enough accidents down here anyway now there's going to be even more.

“This is such a dodgy corner anyway. If you start sticking in underground car parks, you're going to get people all parking outside anyway because they can't be bothered to use the car park. It's making that place really dangerous.”

Hillcote's latest appeal will be decided by written representations at a yet to be determined date. Residents should write to the district council at its offices in Epping.

Hillcote are yet to comment on the application.