Plans to build 79 flats above shops and a gym on the site of an Upton Park cinema have been given the green light.

Newham Council’s strategic development committee unanimously approved the proposals during a meeting conducted via video conferencing.

The application, for land at the junction of Green Street and Barking Road, had been initially presented to the committee in February, with councillors deferring the decision until Tuesday, April 21 to allow areas of concern to be addressed.

Peter Swain, from Proud Architects, told councillors that changes had been made including a residential entrance on Barking Road, resulting in six retail units rather than the previously proposed seven.

He added: “While the proportion of three bedroom dwellings within the affordable units was not raised as a reason for deferral, the chairman at that meeting did raise some concern that we hadn’t provided the right percentage.

“We’ve revised that mix now and are now providing, out of the 20 affordable units, four one-bedroom units, eight two-bedroom units and eight three-bedroom units.”

The eight storey development would be built next to the Boleyn Tavern, a Grade II-listed pub, and would see existing buildings on the site, which includes shops and the Boleyn Cinema, demolished.

There would be 32 three-bedroom homes built as part of the scheme with an additional 28 two-bedroom flats and 19 one-bedroom ones.

A condition has been imposed on the commercial units that means no hot food takeaways can be introduced.

Cllr James Beckles questioned how any potential damage to the pub would be mitigated during the development, and was told: “The applicant proposed an archaeological study that was reviewed by Historic England. They are happy with the methods that have been adopted.”

Cllr Rachel Tripp addressed the car-free nature of the development, saying: “I’d really like an undertaking from the applicant that they’re going to let people know when they move in and have some way of letting subsequent residents know that they cannot get residential parking permits.”

She was told that marketing literature would make it clear that the development was car-free.