Developers plans to build despite protests

By Edmund Tobin

A DEVELOPER who has faced numerous protests after buying land in Buckhurst Hill has lodged a formal planning application to build a block of flats on it.

Stephen McLaren, from Lower Sheering, bought the land at the corner of Hornbeam Road and Chestnut Avenue in May from the Charles S French Charitable Trust. Local residents objected to the purchase and applied for village green status for the land.

Now Mr McLaren has applied to Epping Forest District Council for full planning permission to build a three-storey block of nine two-bedroom flats.

Jackie Pepper, a partner at JSP chartered town planners and design consultants - the architects behind the proposals - said: "It's a very sensible proposal that fits really well into the area. It's a type of development that's very popular in the area as there's pressure in the area for more flats.

"We're not confident of planning approval. I know there's been lots of objections to it already. It happens whatever you do. It's a bit unrealistic to expect you can keep every bit of land."

Residents formed Roding Valley Residents' Committee to fight any planned development.

Committee chairman Laurence Kubiack is now compiling a dossier of objections to the scheme.

He said: "I'm confident that what Mr McLaren is proposing goes against a lot of things in the town plan.

"There will be a lot of objections coming in."

10:55am Thursday 16th November 2006

Taken from the Epping Forest Guardian.

The webmaster thanks the Epping Forest Guardian for their kind permission to publish this report.

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