PLANS to build two houses on a car park in Harold Hill have been deferred while alternative car parking for residents is explored.

The applicant Hill Partnership Ltd, based in Waltham Abbey, wants to build two three-bedroom houses for social rent on an area of council-owned land in Daventry Road.

There is currently an area of land with 16 car parking spaces used by residents and parents picking up or dropping their children off at nearby schools.

If the houses are built it means a loss of 10 spaces.

The council’s regulatory services committee met to discuss the plans at Havering Town Hall on Thursday night.

Council officers recommend approval of the plans but the committee decided to defer them to ask the developer to look at a different option so the pathway adjacent to the houses would not be lost; if they could include another public car parking space in the plans; and look at the option of controlled parking zones in the area.

A 120 name petition against the plans has been handed to the council.

Caroline Fillery, of Daventry Road, is one of those opposing the plans. She said during the meeting: “There are four houses here, and not enough car parking spaces. It is a small residential street. It cannot cope with more houses.

“Our natural light will be taken away and one of my neighbours will have an alleyway and fence right outside their front door.

“We understand there is a need for social housing, but not in this place.”

She added that she had concerns that crime would increase in the street if there were alleyways next to the house and the loss of car parking would cause problems for residents.

Her neighbour Bill Barrett, 64, said after the meeting: “I hope they scrap the plans next time it is heard because they want to make an alleyway there. It will be right next to my house.

“It will encourage yobs to come there and make it dangerous for anyone walking there.”

Other objections the council received were also over concerns over safety and security, difficulty for delivery companies to locate properties on the street and the loss of light and overlooking from the new properties.