Redbridge Council has approved controversial plans for five new homes despite more than 60 people objecting.

Fourteen garages in Harley Court, Wanstead, will be torn down to make room for two new flats and three houses in the coming months.

The scheme was approved at a meeting of the council’s planning committee on October 10.

The developers argued it would boost the struggling borough’s housing stock, but the scheme has been met with significant pushback.

A total of 64 formal objections were lodged by residents, including a petition with 33 signatures.

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On top of concerns relating to “overdevelopment,” residents attacked the scheme’s potential to “worsen” parking in the neighbourhood.

One resident told the committee the homes would lead to “more cars and fewer parking spaces”. She said she had calculated that 115 cars would be battling for 70 parking spaces.

Though she acknowledged the borough “desperately needed more housing and intelligent design,” she argued the modern design “would not add value” to the historic terrace.

Labour councillor Jamal Uddin suggested the issue lay with the reliance on cars, rather than with the development.

Other objectors also put forward that the new builds would “negatively impact the light received to our sitting rooms, skylights, kitchens and shared gardens”.

They added that the additional homes would put further strain on Harley Court, and could worsen issues with antisocial behaviour.

Mark Sherman, a representative for the developer Firstplan, said: “Redbridge Council is currently behind on its required housing delivery targets, and this scheme would create five much-needed, high-quality new homes – including family homes – on a site that is currently derelict, underused and subject to regular instances of antisocial behaviour.”

As per the 2021 London Plan, which guides development across the capital, Redbridge Council needs to build 1,409 new homes a year. That includes properties built by private developers.

Last year, it built just 224 – around 15 per cent of the target. The leadership has described the situation as a “severe housing crisis”.

Mr Sherman added the team had “worked closely” with the authority to meet its standards, having reduced the proposals from six homes to five.

The committee ultimately disagreed with the residents’ concerns, describing the scheme as “good for the borough”.

Councillor Gurdial Bhamra said: “I do understand the concerns of the objectors regarding privacy, sunlight and parking.

“[But] when you build something new, there needs to be compromises – as long as there is no major harm.”

He added: “The borough does need new houses and we are short at the moment. This development will provide new houses, which is good for the borough.

“It goes with the rest of the street, in my mind.”

Councillor Jyotsna Islam said the new homes would “enhance the area” by replacing the “empty garages,” and it would not “make a significant difference” to the traffic levels.

Construction of the new homes will take around 18 months. The representative was not able to provide a specific timeline.