A LONG-RUNNING planning battle to build flats on the site of a garden centre looks to be finally over after their developer gained permission.

John Capper had repeatedly sought permission to build 21 flats at the site of Jennikings Garden Centre, in Manor Road, Chigwell, but been turned down many times, even after a rival developer was given the go-ahead to build 69 flats on adjacent land.

Last night (May 26) councillors finally gave him his permission although it will have to be ratified at Development Control level as the site is Green Belt.

Chigwell district councillor Brian Sandler, who sat on the planning committee, said: “I'm pleased to say it was granted. I had to fight for it because the officers unbelievably had it recommended for refusal after the developers did everything they possible could.

“It's 80 per cent affordable housing, it's directly next to an underground station, it's right by a small parade of shops, there's bus routes. It's a perfect position and takes away an eyesore because that site has already been built over. It's really more of a brownfield site.”

A similarly controversial application to turn two houses at nearby Grange Crescent into a block of 14 flats was also granted permission.

Developer Michael Johnson's revised application had previously been refused over traffic concerns.

Mr Sandler said: “The way it was presented it came across very well. It's not going to cause problems which there were before. We have enough problems with parking, but the whole development will be entered and left via Manor Road. No cars will be able to access Grange Crescent.

“Equally, they have made it a small development with an enormous amount of car parking spaces.”

More to follow.