Neighbours hold off developers eyeing up land on their London Fields estate

Neighbours at the site where up to 13 people could have ended up living. Picture: Polly Hancock (Image: Archant)

The site in London Fields West Side, not far from the park’s lido, was sold by Hackney Council at an auction in 2013 to the annoyance of people on the nearby Morland Estate, who wanted it for a community garden.

They were angered further when developers London Fields West LLP and architects Chance de Silva submitted plans for a four-and-a-half-storey block of flats at the end of September.

Tenants and homeowners were under the impression any development would only be a “single dwelling house” and complained about the height and density of the proposed block, as well as the impact on their privacy and the environment.

They also felt developers had sidelined them and not held a proper consultation.

But following a meeting between all parties at the Morland Estate and Blanchard Way Tenants’ and Residents’ Association AGM, the plans were dramatically shelved.

The TRA represents 300 people living on the estate and chair Julian Blake said had neighbours been spoken to about the plans, the time “wasted” on the application and withdrawal could have bee avoided.

But he welcomed the move by the developers following the positive meeting.

He said: “This withdrawal is good news for residents worried about the plan and shows that our voices can be heard.

“We have asked the developer to ensure that we are consulted before any new planning application is submitted to replace this one, and to ensure any new application is not just a new version of what’s just been withdrawn.”

Stephen Chance said he and his team of architects would go back to the drawing board and come up with a more suitable proposal.

He said: “I think we’ll need time to consider the various points raised and how to address them by making changes to the scheme.”