RESIDENTS of an estate denied extra property protection rights by Redbridge Council have spoken of their anger.

The Lakehouse estate, in Wanstead, was deemed by council officers as “Lacking the higher quality” needed to be a conservation area despite the neighbouring Aldersbrook estate having that status.

Richard Pratley, 63, of Blake Hall Crescent, said: “You look around the Aldersbrook estate and there are some blocks of flats. There would be more of that type of flat there than here. There's possibly more coherence on this estate. I'd very much like this to be a protected area.”

Andrew Hall, 56, of Blake Hall Crescent, said: “I'm appalled to hear it didn't go through. If you look at the top end of Belgrave Road it's fairly unique on the same lines as Aldersbrook. There's stuff on this estate exactly the same. On Aldersbrook there's blocks of flats.”

Conservation status would mean the demolition of homes in an area would require extra planning permission as would minor adjustments to the appearance of houses.

But Redbridge Council officers said at an area one committee meeting on Monday that the character of the Lakehouse estate is too variable for the status and singled out the Belgrave Heights flats as “significantly harming” the estate's setting.

Paula Franklin, 59, of Belgrave Road, said: “The council have only got themselves to blame because they gave permission. The residents really fought for it not to be flats. Perhaps if we had the conservation area that wouldn't have gone up If anyone's let us down Redbridge has.”

Clare Solomon, 44, of Richmond Way, said: “Conservation status would maintain the standard of the area. It's a shame- they've got it in Aldersbrook. It's a shame they included the flats because it seems so separate and it's not the same standard or design.”

Amanda Hodder, 56, of Windsor Road, attended the area one meeting.

She said: “I'm so disappointed. I thought it was going to be a done deal. Yes it's not got some of the nice pretty Victorian houses in Aldersbrook, but it's still a nice area. The uniqueness here is it's a real family estate and it's surrounded by green. It's a bit of suburbia in East London. So many houses now are being extended. Conservation status would really stop that.”

At the area one meeting councillor Michelle Dunn, who who had campaigned for conservation status, said she accepted the officers’ report and suggested the estate could be considered for “residential precinct status” which offers a more limited form of protection.