15:22 Wednesday 5th March 2003
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A PLANNED rave was stopped by police on Friday night.
Hills Garage, in High Road, Leytonstone, was the arranged meeting point for another illegal rave. The borough has seen two large raves in the past few weeks.
The first was held at the former EMD cinema, in Hoe Street, Walthamstow, when hundreds of party-goers trashed the listed building.
Weeks later, ravers descended on an empty factory in Sutherland Road, Walthamstow, and diced with death as they danced close to containers filled with toxic chemicals. They also wrecked that building.
But officers were prepared this time when they heard about a rave taking place at Hills garage.
A police spokesman said there were no further details, but officers foiled the rave at Hills, which has been targeted by ravers in the past.
The garage is currently subject to a planning application to turn it into a two to four storey residential development. This will include 18 seperate homes – three houses, six two-bedroom flats and nine one-bedroom flats.
Local residents are opposing the plans and have started a petition to send to the council. They claim the site will be over-developed, and that there is a lack of parking and play space for children.
Bushwood Area Residents Association has also objected to the plans. They have instead recommended that the council insists on a low-rise development.
