CRITICS have slammed a decision to miss Redbridge's only Grade I listed building off of a shortlist of nominations for the borough's Olympic symbol.
Four 'landmark' sites have been selected by the council as candidates to appear on a special commemorative badge designed to represent Redbridge at the London Games in 2012.
The public can choose to vote for either the Winston Churchill statue in Woodford Green, Valentines Mansion, Redbridge Cycling Centre or Ilford Town Hall in an online ballot on the council's website - which closes on Sunday, October 18.
But residents in the west of Redbridge say they should be free to draw up their own shortlist of landmark buildings for the badge, and have questioned the council's decision to miss Wanstead's 200 year-old St Mary's Church off the list altogether.
Anne Williams, of Gordon Road, described two of the authority's selections as 'ridiculous.'
She said: "This is complete rubbish.
"What possible merit does the cycling centre have for being on this badge - or the town hall for that matter - rather than St Mary's?
"Of course they have overlooked the borough's only Grade I listed building for a cycling centre, that makes sense doesn't it? How stupid.
"I agree that the Churchill statue and Valentines Mansion should be on the list, but St Mary's is far more important to the history of the borough than the cycle centre or the town hall.
"It is all that is left of the Wanstead House estate for goodness sake."
Paul Donovan, of the Wanstead Parklands Community Project, said the selection showed the council's 'bias' towards Ilford and the south of the borough.
He said: "This is just another demonstration of them favouring Ilford over this part of Redbridge.
"St Mary's and Wanstead Park should have both been on the list.
"I think people should be able to choose from any building in the borough they want, not just four picked by the council."
A council spokesman said: "Residents have a chance to get into the Olympic Spirit and vote for the Redbridge landmark they want to represent the borough.
"The council has teamed up with the London 2012 Organising Committee to offer residents the opportunity to vote for their favourite local landmark to be featured in a set London 2012 ‘Landmark London’ pin badges.
"The results of the vote will be made public at the end of October this year with the celebratory set of 33 pin badges expected to go on sale next year."
To make a nomination visit: london2012.com/landmark.
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