A Barkingside estate will become twice as crowded if plans submitted to Redbridge Council are approved.

Avanti Architects, working for Redbridge Council, wants to add 103 affordable homes to an estate that currently has 84 flats.

The Little Gearies estate, just off Cranbrook Road, consists of seven blocks of two and three-storeys, while new plans would involve adding five blocks of four and six-storeys.

In their design statement, the architects wrote that the density of the current estate is “no longer viable in London” due to the demand for homes and lack of vacant sites.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

What the estate will look like, with new blocks shaded darker (Avanti Architects)

They add that they hope to “create outstanding places to live”, while also improving the estate’s energy efficiency and deliver a “financial return” to client Redbridge Council.

If approved, the developer would knock down 11 existing flats and some garages to make space for the new blocks, although “the majority” of large trees on the site will remain.

So far there have been two rounds of consultation with existing residents via Zoom, the first in June and July and the second in September.

One concern raised was that giving new residents private gardens would create “an ‘us and them’ feel”, which the architect responded to by lowering the height of fences between communal and private gardens.

Residents have until November 8 to respond to the plans before they are considered by the council and can do so here.

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