AN ATTEMPT to demolish a row of historic art deco houses and replace them with a block of flats has been rejected - for the second time.

Neighbours have praised Redbridge Council for throwing out an application to build 14 flats on the site in the High Road where five family homes currently stand on the site of suffragette Sylvia Pankhurst's former cottage.

Opponents feared the scheme would have put at risk the historic Grade II listed 'Stone Bomb' anti-air war memorial - which was erected by Pankhurst during the 1930s.

They also complained that the plans, submitted by developers Yasfind, would leave residents in nearby Mews Place surrounded by new apartment blocks.

Mews Place resident Mario Grattarola, who has led protests against the plan, said the council's decision is unlikely to be the end of the story.

He said: "We are pleased it's been turned down again but I'm pretty sure they'll appeal against this decision again.

"The plans are totally out of keeping with the look of this area and it is time the developers accepted that and looked for somewhere else to build flats.

"Some people here see it as inevitable that the developers will get their way in the end, but I don't see it like that.

"We have got to keep fighting these plans."

The council had previously rejected a plan for 19 new flats on the site in 2007, and its regulatory committee threw out the latest application on the grounds that it did not include enough affordable homes, would have brought too many extra cars into the area, and did not offer the council enough money to offset the development’s impact on local services.