A petition has been launched to save a vital shopping parade in Dollis Hill from being demolished.

More than 1,000 people have signed a petition against Gladstone Park Parade being redeveloped into a five storey block of flats.

Grade Planning have put in an application to demolish the parade and the six flats above it and in its place provide 38 flats and 22 parking spaces.

Alison Hopkins, of the Dollis Hill Residents Association who launched the petition, said: “We are against losing the whole parade. There is Skippers Choice fish and chip shop which has been here for 30 odd years, there’s Gladstones Stores which older residents rely on and the Brent Tavern which locals like to go to unwind.

“Signatures from that petition stretch from Neasden to Cricklewood to Hendon – it’s a seriously good fish and chip shop, four stars for hygiene, sells Halal food so very inclusive.

“The developers manipulated their application and said it was closed. They have said they will put back some of the shops but they won’t be the same ones.”

She added: “It’s a 1920’s parade, the buildings are really solid. It does need renovation so I don’t see why the developers can’t do that and build flats behind it.”

More than 40 objections have been lodged on the planning application including a request from the deputy head teacher of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Infants School that it be withdrawn. The comment read: “I have concerns about the impact such works will have on the day to day running of the school ie increased traffic, effecting drop off and pick up of children at the school.”

Other complaints include the density of the building with “too many flats being squeezed on a tiny piece of land”, the lack of parking and the project being “hugely detrimental” to the area.

One resident said: “I trust that this proposal will be robustly rejected and the developers will be encouraged to submit a more modest and appropriate re generation scheme for this site.”

Grade Planning did not reply to a request for a comment.