AN 87-YEAR-OLD widow says a persistent developer is causing her such stress, that she is considering leaving her home of 45 years.

Pauline Brumwell of The Avenue in Wanstead, thought plans to build a three-storey block of flats overlooking her garden had been shelved.

Redbridge Council rejected an intial planning application last year on the grounds that the proposed development would be "intrusive" for people living in The Avenue.

But the developer, Mr Habib Hamidi, has come back with a revised plan.

At the time of the original application, Mrs Brumwell said she feared the new development, at 111 Gardner Close, would spoil people’s enjoyment of a historic grade II listed 17th century gazebo which stands in her garden.

Reacting to the news that the plan had been revived, she said: “I’m devastated. I thought they (the developer) had got the message, but it seems they will not give up until they get their way.

“There’s already building work going on next door to me and the thought of even more is very upsetting.

“I’m very stressed about the whole thing and I’ve even considered leaving my house to get away from it all.”

The gazebo is of such historical interest that it has been included in previous London-wide ‘Open House Events.’

Since her husband died three years ago, Mrs Brumwell has felt unable to take part in the event, but she still shows people around occasionally.

She added: “The new building would be a stone’s throw from the gazebo. It would just loom over it.

“I just want these people to leave it alone.”

The new plans are for a building containing six flats in total – three fewer than were included in the rejected proposal.

But opponents say the plans will still create parking problems in an area which is already used by commuters.

Geoff Horsnell has written a letter of objection to the Council on behalf of local group, the Wanstead Society.

He says he fears parking chaos outside the proposed block of flats.

And he added: “The new plan is still for a three-storey building, and it’s still an ugly design.

“We are not opposing development per se, but we want to see something which does not detract from the look of the area.

“We would be happy to work with the developers to help find a sympathetic solution to the problem.”

A spokesman for Mr Hamidi said: "We put an application in before which the local residents were not happy with.

"We have now reduced the number of flats and the height of the building to a level which is lower than the existing building.

"It is costing us a lot of money, but we want to satisfy everybody and move on."

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