Adding two storeys to an existing block of flats meant an ordeal for its residents. In this age of ‘build, baby, build’, are there enough protections?

Though Wanstead is a quiet east London suburb, located just on the edge of leafy Epping Forest, things haven’t been so peaceful for the residents of Harley Court. A two-storey extension, containing 12 new units, is being built on top of their block of flats. It’s a story that reveals one of the many challenges of our housing market. In the quest to hit housing targets there will be some disruption, but how much is too much for existing residents and communities?

In the autumn of 2022, James moved into the pale-bricked postwar building. It was his first time living alone. He loved the open-plan living room and having a space to make his own. It was around this time his health began to falter and, in the new year, he was diagnosed with cancer. He increasingly spent more time at home recovering from chemotherapy treatments that left him fatigued.

Kirsty Major is a deputy Opinion editor for the Guardian