AN APPLICATION to turn an old Inland Revenue building into shops, offices and flats has been turned down by Redbridge Council because of a lack of parking facilities.

Charteris House, in Charteris Road, Woodford Green, will remain unused as proposals to knock it down and replace it with a new four-story building were thrown out last night at a meeting of the Regulatory Committee.

The building, which has become an eyesore after being daubed with graffiti and having its windows boarded up, has been empty since May 2006.

The ground floor of the development - opposite Woodford Underground Station - would be have been used for shops and office space, with nine one, two and three-bed flats above.

Concerns about access and congestion were however raised when it was revealed that only six parking spaces would be provided for the whole building.

Despite developers Havenridge saying they had tried to design the buildings to resemble the Edwardian shop units in nearby Broadway - which lies within the Woodford Green Conservation area - councillors were also not convinced.

Church End ward councillor Richard Hoskins said: “There was inadequate parking spaces and a general feeling that the design was inappropriate in that area.

“The whole block is Edwardian design and it was just too big and bulky for the Conservation area.

“It was going to be used for retail, offices and residential so the amount of amenities would be totally unfit for purpose.”