TESCO has further enraged campaigners in Wanstead after it unveiled plans to erect a ‘garish’ illuminated sign on its new branch in the High Street.

Council chiefs meet on Thursday evening to discuss the proposals, which critics have slammed as “completely out of keeping” with the conservation area status of the High Street.

The news comes just a week after the supermarket chain was granted a licence to sell alcohol seven days a week from the new store between 8am and 11pm, despite fierce opposition from traders and residents.

Work has been halted at the site until a decision is made on the planning application.

Scott Shillum, of the Wanstead Society, said his fellow members were expecting the licence to be turned down.

He said: “It’s clear the application runs completely contrary to the conservation area guidelines.

“If the plans are not rejected then it will be a case of these guidelines being fundamentally ignored. There have been cases across the country where Tesco has had to change its plans to fit with conservation areas and they are aware of conservation guidelines.

“But at this moment in time it seems we are just going to have to see what the outcome will be on Thursday.”

Ashley Gunstock, one of the leaders of the campaign against Tesco’s alcohol licence, said: “We don’t want Tesco in the High Street, because it is not in keeping with its character, and this just perfectly illustrates that.

“Of course there are environmental concerns about an illuminated sign but I wouldn’t be happy even if they lit it with a solar panel. “This is about community and this is about identity - we don’t want Wanstead to become a clone town with clone people. There’s hardly any originality in High Streets anymore and this will only worsen that.”

A spokeswoman for Tesco said: “We have stopped work on the branch because we can’t do any more until we get the planning application through for our sign and so on.

“We’re sure that anything that is not appropriate for the area will not be approved.”

A date for the opening of the shop has still not been set.

The details of the planning application also reveal the chain wants to install a new cash machine at the new branch.

Meanwhile, campaigners say they are still considering their options whether to appeal against Tesco’s alcohol licence.