We're all laughing because it's completely screwed them up

A DEVELOPER has promised to rub councillors faces in it' after his plans for a block of flats in Woodford Green were rejected.

Altaf Bhurawala of Crestgate Estates, wanted to demolish Woodford Green's oldest house, Little Monkhams in Monkhams Lane, and replace it with a new house and 18 flats.

Redbridge Council and the Planning Inspectorate (PI) rejected his plans but he says that the PI's judgement has left the entire Monkhams estate open for development.

He added: "I don't think the local electorate should be hoodwinked into thinking they have won because they have lost. The residential precinct policy that the council has used has effectively been thrown down the pan.

"There will definitely will be flats there and we plan to put a very modern block of flats there which isn't in keeping with Monkhams."

In his judgement, inspector Tony Pickering described the proposed block of flats as a massive edifice', but he slammed the Monkhams residential precinct policy with which the council hoped to protect the area as confusing'.

 The original planning application proposed retaining Little Monkhams house and constructing the flats to the rear of the site but it was turned down by council officers using delegated powers, meaning that it was rejected before councillors got a chance to have their say.

Mr Bhurawala says, however, that it is pressure from councillors on their officers that is making them reject legitimate applications.

He says that he is going to write to every householder on Monkhams Lane, asking them to sell him their house adding: "I am going to rub their faces in it properly because they are not going to get a Monkhams-looking property at all. I'm going to get Richard Rogers to do an ultra modern scheme. We're all laughing because its completely screwed them up.

Woodford and Wanstead Guardian, 3.5.2007