A woman claims that Havering Council’s plans to demolish her garage and to build houses in its place will lead to overcrowding in her area.

Emma Wessen is against plans to demolish the council-owned garages in Keats Avenue, Harold Hill, and replace them with houses.

She said: “It’s crazy because the area is so overcrowded and this application is just going to give rise to so many other problems.”

She has been given 24 days notice to clear the garage, which she rents from the council.

It, and other garages, are then expected to be knocked down to make way for new houses, but she says the garages, which directly back on to her home in Dyer Way, will leave her with a lack of privacy.

Abandoned

She added: “I am worried that when they are knocking it down they will quite easily damage our property.

“The area is already overcrowded and with these new houses it will just add to the problems that we already have.”

The proposals are part of a drive by Havering Council to demolish abandoned garages and to use the space to build new houses.

Emma claims that the garages are in a good condition, but Havering Council says that only six out of the 11 garages are in use.

She also accused the council of a lack of consultation.

Cllr Lesley Kelly, cabinet member for housing, said: “A planning application is due in this week and the residents should receive letters from us by the end of August. This would be a formal consultation giving the residents the opportunity to comment on the development proposal.

“We have 9,000 people on our housing waiting list and we want to redevelop around 60 mainly derelict garage sites across the borough into affordable homes for local families.”