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Fair Oak Place, ILFORD, IG6 2GY

Fairlop Road in Barkingside, in north east London's outer suburbs. The no entry signs are a clue that this is a one-way street.

The State in Fairlop Road was completed in 1938 to the designs of the renowned cinema architect George Coles, but it suffered bomb damage in 1940 and was not reopened until it had been refurbished by ABC Cinemas in 1948. In 1972 it was altered into a twin cinema and bingo operation, but the cinema section closed in 1984. The photographer understands that bingo, currently run by Gala, has continued in the former cinema stalls, while the rest of the cinema at balcony level, and including, it is thought, the original 1938 cafe and ballroom, remains mothballed. Perhaps surprisingly it is not a Listed Building.

Tomswood Hill (L) and Fencepiece Road (R) meet at quite a sharp angle with a sort of triangular plot on the inside of the junction. Three houses jointly occupy the space in a sort of angled terrace arrangement.

Planning permission has been granted by Redbridge Council under application number 0496/13/01 for “the space around the library will consist of new access provision and improved and expanded public realm, with the existing building untouched. The space between library and leisure centre will consist of improved landscaping, improved and enlarged access provision to leisure centre, retention of mature trees and new loggia structure adjacent to existing spa wall incorporating small A3 kiosk and creating a new active frontage addressing the High Street. The space between the leisure centre and Virginia Gardens will consist of a new pocket park on the site of the existing terrace, incorporating soft and hard landscaping, new planting and a new A1 unit within a revised yard enclosure to the leisure centre”.

Fullwell Cross Library was built in the mid-1960s. The circular building is Grade II Listed as it is deemed to have special architectural interest. More information about the building is on the Historic England website: https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1391938

This is a grade II listed building https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1391938

Planning permission has been granted by Redbridge Council under application number 0496/13/01 - “the space around the library will consist of new access provision and improved and expanded public realm, with the existing building untouched. The space between (Fullwell) library and leisure centre will consist of improved landscaping, improved and enlarged access provision to leisure centre, retention of mature trees and new loggia structure adjacent to existing spa wall incorporating small A3 kiosk and creating a new active frontage addressing the High Street. The space between the leisure centre and Virginia Gardens (as seen here) will consist of a new pocket park on the site of the existing terrace, incorporating soft and hard landscaping, new planting and a new A1 unit within a revised yard enclosure to the leisure centre”.