Local residents and Leytonstone ward councillors are celebrating the reprieve for an iconic Victorian house in Leytonstone. 85/87 Whipps Cross Road was threatened with demolition following a planning application by developers to knock down the house and build a block of flats. Leytonstone Ward Councillor Marie Pye worked with her fellow councillors and local residents to raise serious objections to the planning application. The council's planning department rejected the application on a total of 7 grounds, including the architectural significance of the house.
Councillor Pye and the Leytonstone Historic Society had also requested that the house be put on the council's list of architecturally significant buildings. It has now been placed on the draft list.
Councillor Marie Pye commented "Although the planning application has been turned down the developers can appeal and local residents and councillors will continue to campaign to keep this unique house."
