A second attempt to build student accommodation on the former site of the Angel Cottage in Stratford has been met with fierce resistance.

The 181-year-old Grade II listed building in Windmill Lane was illegally torn down in 2007, sparking outrage.

It was one of the last remnants of Stratford’s previous guise as a rural retreat.

Property developer Pervaiz Khan was fined �15,000 after builders he had hired demolished the cottage. The site was then sold on at a loss for use as a car storage yard.

Current landowners Forrest Whitmore Ltd have applied to build a block of 102 student bedrooms and 88 cycle spaces to capitalise on a shortfall of accommodation for students in London.

Neighbours have already submitted their objections on the grounds that the sheer number of potential tenants could cause traffic and safety problems.

Janet Dooner, who manages the Railway Tavern, yards away from the site, said locals still felt ‘raw’ over Angel Cottage’s removal.

She said: “I told the council I would oppose every single application for that piece of land.

“All that should be there is a small green area, with a piece of Angel Cottage and a blue plaque.

“It’s just too big for this area, and 102 rooms? It will stick out like a sore thumb.”

But Mrs Dooner added: “In my heart I don’t think it’s going to be refused.”

Newham Council is expected to make a decision on the application by April.