A DEVELOPER whose controversial plan to demolish a historic house and build flats was blocked for the seventh time has vowed to fight on - despite widespread community opposition.

Lee Jose said he still hopes to create new homes on the site in Bedford Road, South Woodford, and has pledged to exploit new relaxed rules on extensions if necessary.

His proposal to knock down the Victorian house and build eight flats has been rejected five times by Redbridge Council's planning committee.

Mr Jose recently appealed against the decision to the planning inspectorate for the second time, but was knocked back and told his proposal is too big for the site.

A previous appeal was rejected on a technicality. However, the inspectorate ruled that the site was close enough to a town centre to allow larger urban style developments.

Campaigners warned this left large swathes of Wanstead and Woodford vulnerable to denser developments.

Slamming the planning process, a defiant Mr Jose said: "It is ludicrous. The decision makes a whole mockery of the planning system. It is not over for me by a long shot.

"At the end of the day, what is the point in planning officers when the committee does what they like anyway.

"What would they rather see me do? Build on green belt land?

"We met criteria, we met legislation and we met regulation. It just seems to be about personal opinion and not about policy.

"If the inspectorate had said the first time that it was too big then we would have come back with another application."

Under a new government planning proposal, property owners would be able to build extensions without planning permission and Mr Jose said he could extend the current building by 26ft.

"There is nothing the council would be able to about it," he added.

Cllr Hugh Cleaver of Church End ward was part of a campaign to prevent the development, which was supported by Woodford Green MP Iain Duncan Smith.

He said: "Councillors will make their own decisions, they aren't bound by what the planning officers say.

"I am pleased with this result. I felt that losing that house would be a great shame and the replacement just wasn't good enough."

Cllr Richard Hoskins, who chaired the planning committee which refused the application, said: "The developer is locked in because he has bought the place. He's not a happy bunny."

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