February 2021

22
Wanstead Village Directory
Number Eight
Residents have united to fight plans to demolish the Victorian house
at 8 Sylvan Road and replace it with several new flats. In the first of a
series of articles, Kirsty Thomas explains the upset
A
network of both local and non-local
residents rallied together in recent
months to support the objection to a
planning request to demolish a beautiful,
characterful, 150-year-old Victorian house
in Snaresbrook.
The current owners of 8 Sylvan Road have
applied to replace this historic building
with several oversized modern flats (two
one-bedroom, five two-bedroom and two
three-bedroom residential units). Over 150
objections have been put to Redbridge
Council to oppose this development,
including support from the Wanstead Society,
the Victorian Society and Councillor Jo
Blackman.
This property was built alongside seven
others in the 1870s, but sadly, two of them
were destroyed in the Second World War. The
remaining six distinctive houses, despite also
withstanding substantial war damage repairs,
continue to stand proud on Sylvan Road.
The Victorian Society – who are ‘the champion
for Victorian and Edwardian architecture’
– have written to the council’s Planning
Committee to say that: “Number eight [Sylvan
Road] is a characterful house in its own right
and also has wider group value, being one of
six remaining houses of the late-19th century
suburban development in the road. Although
the road has been infilled with 20th-century
housing, the interspersed Victorian dwellings
still draw attention and have a positive impact
on the streetscape. The loss of number eight
would therefore not only constitute the loss
of an attractive Victorian building but would
also contribute towards the erosion of this
character and further obscure the legibility
of the initial 19th-century development in
the area”.
8 Sylvan Road, before the garden
was cleared ready for building
They have made it very clear, as have
most residents in their objections, that the
property appears eminently suitable for
refurbishment and conversion, if necessary.
Demolition should not be a reasonable
solution, especially considering Redbridge’s
deceleration of a climate emergency in 2019
and the importance of recycling and reusing
buildings to help tackle climate change.
The proposed flats are large, overpowering
and characterless modern buildings, with
both roof gardens and rear balconies which
will remove any level of privacy for the
neighbours. There is neither provision for
parking nor socially affordable housing.
Our whole street feels terribly upset this
house and the history associated with it
could be completely wiped out in an instant.
We are hoping the Planning Committee will
listen to the local community and refuse the
demolition of this historic building in the
heart of our village, as we would like to see it
still standing here in another 150 years’ time.
For full details about the proposed
development, visit wnstd.com/8sylvan
To advertise, call 020 8819 6645 or visit wnstd.com