Suspicious fire at third home in planning battle

Police are investigating after a third historic home in a London suburb subject to a planning dispute caught fire in suspicious circumstances.

The Thirties Art Deco cottage in Woodford Green was badly damaged by the blaze on Sunday night, just as the previous two properties had been.

Detectives are investigating the possibility of an arson attack after discovering the fire was started in several places on the first floor of the house in Broomhill Walk.

In March, police found a cannabis factory at the property and seized 300 plants.

A police spokesman said: "The fire investigator found a rear ground floor window had been smashed, which he believed to be the point of entry.

"He explained he could find no trace of fire accelerant but deemed it suspicious due to the multiple seats of fire on the first floor."

J and N Property Developers had applied to build eight flats on the site, which would have involved the demolition of the house, but was refused permission in March.

It is understood the firm has now submitted another proposal, increasing the number of flats to 12. John Appleby and Nicholas Stavri, who run the company, refused to comment.

Retired banker Rais Nisar, who lives in Broomhill Walk and helped to organise a campaign against the original plans, said he expected the latest proposal to be approved now the property was not worth saving.

He added: "We are all very upset about this and the whole neighbourhood is very worried. This is a beautiful area and I don't want to see a concrete jungle go up in place of this wonderful house."

In May, a large Victorian house in Mornington Roadwas badly damaged by fire while it was the subject of a planning application to replace it with five six-bedroomhomes.

The cause of the blaze is still under investigation but Aitch Group Holdings, which owns the property, has been granted permission to proceed.

In January last year, grade-II listed Little Monkhams in Monkhams Lane, which dated back to the 14th century, was gutted by fire the day the Planning Inspectorate was due to hear an appeal by Crestgate Estates on permission to demolish it. The cause of the fire is unknown.

Richard Hoskins, who sits on Redbridge council's planning committee, said: "One fire is unfortunate, two is very unfortunate and three is ridiculous. These were all handsome houses but they have gone up in smoke."