The Waltham Forest Council Planning Committee was scheduled to meet on 6 May 2025 to discuss several planning applications and related matters. The meeting was set to cover development management, including consideration of an update report from the Assistant Director - Development Management and Building Control, and to address specific planning applications at 92 Larkswood Road and 694 High Road Leytonstone. The committee was also expected to formalise wording for conditions or reasons for refusal, delegating this task to the Assistant Director - Development Management and Building Control.

92 Larkswood Road, Chingford

The committee was scheduled to consider an application for the demolition of two existing dwellings at 92 Larkswood Road, Chingford, E4 9DU and the construction of three two-storey dwelling houses. The proposal includes gated access, a boundary fence, car parking with a carport, secure waste and recycling storage, and associated landscaping.

The planning officer’s report noted that the application had been referred to the committee due to the extensive level of public interest.

The site, measuring approximately 1486m2, is in a backland position surrounded by gardens of properties along Larkswood Road, Bourne Gardens and Ainslie Wood Gardens. It currently contains a 1930s-style bungalow and a single-storey building converted into habitable rooms in 1965. There are four trees with Tree Protection Orders (TPO) within the boundary.

The proposal involves constructing three detached houses, each with three bedrooms, for six people. These would be centrally positioned on the site, accessed via a gated entrance. Each dwelling would have a side/rear garden. Units A and B would have a similar internal layout, while Unit C would have a slightly different arrangement on the ground floor. The ground floor would be finished with multi-toned light grey brickwork, and the upper floor with dark grey Thermowood cladding.

Two car parking spaces covered by a carport with a sedum green roof would be provided, along with communal waste and recycling storage and cycle storage. Soft landscaping is also proposed along the western and southern site boundaries.

The officer's report noted that 22 objections were received during public consultation, with concerns raised about the development being out of character, overdevelopment, overlooking and privacy, loss of trees and wildlife habitat, overshadowing and loss of light, flood risk, parking stress, noise and air impact, fire safety, and waste storage.

The planning officer’s report recommended that planning permission be granted subject to conditions, informatives, and the completion of a Section 106 Legal Agreement (S106) with the following heads of terms:

• A financial contribution of £1,950 towards the Strategic Access Management and Monitoring Strategy (SAMMS) for the Epping Forest Special Area of Conservation (SAC).
• Requirements relating to Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG), including registration on the Biodiversity Gain Site Register, provision of a Biodiversity Gain Plan, completion of Habitat Creation and Enhancement Works, and financial contributions towards BNG monitoring.
• Requirements relating to highways and transportation, including facilitating highway works under a Section 278 agreement¹, a financial contribution of £3,000 towards sustainable modes of transport, a financial contribution of £250 for Construction Logistics Plan (CLP) monitoring, and a highway condition survey.
• A financial contribution towards a carbon levy if the 35% carbon reduction target is not met.
• A design quality monitoring agreement to ensure the original architects are retained during construction.
• Payment of 5% of the total amount of S106 contributions towards monitoring, implementation, and compliance with the legal agreement.
• Payment of the council’s legal fees for the preparation and completion of the legal agreement.

694 High Road Leytonstone

The Planning Committee was also scheduled to consider two applications relating to 694 High Road Leytonstone, E11 3AA: a non-material amendment (reference 250029) and a minor material amendment (reference 242833). These applications relate to a previously approved scheme (reference 240869) for the redevelopment of the site, involving the construction of a roof extension to create two self-contained flats and the retention of the existing ground floor commercial space.

The non-material amendment seeks to include a terrace in the description of the approved scheme, while the minor material amendment seeks to vary Condition 2 (Approved Plans) of the original permission to allow for alterations to include an amenity terrace to Flat 1.

The site is a former NatWest Bank located at the junction of High Road Leytonstone and Aylmer Road. It is a locally listed building and is adjacent to a Grade II-listed Georgian terrace.

The proposed terrace would be 10m² in size and would be located at first-floor level, accessed via a new door replacing an existing window. It would face Aylmer Road and be set back approximately 2.5 metres from the edge of the structure below.

The planning officer’s report noted that 13 objections and a petition signed by 12 local residents had been received, raising concerns about loss of privacy, visual impact, noise and disturbance, safety concerns, conflict with local policies, impact on listed buildings, changes not in original plans, potential precedent, and other issues.

The planning officer’s report recommended that both the non-material amendment and the minor material amendment be granted, subject to conditions and informatives.