An Olympic legacy organisation have decided to increase the consultation time on whether a conservation area should be extended.

London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) held a consultation in December and January to extend the Hackney Wick conservation area along Wallis Road and White Post Lane to the River Lee.

After hundreds of people have responded they have decided to extend the consultation process until February 21.

A decision will then be made by the LLDC’s planning committee in the spring.

In addition, almost a thousand people signed a petition supporting the extension of the conservation area to prevent it from becoming “another soulless residential area like Canary Wharf”.

Many are concerned that developers will snap up and demolish old warehouses and buildings because of the area’s proximity to iCity and the Olympic Village.

Simon Goode, who lives in Prince Edward Road, Hackney Wick, said: “There are really important historical buildings that developers need to take into consideration before they develop the area.

“The White Building in White Post Lane used to be a warehouse for processing cocoa beans.

“Without the right thought processes to develop the area, you could end up with something soulless.

“You don’t want what’s happening in Stratford happening here.”

Duncan O’Brien, who signed the petition, said: “This has been an area of small industry for hundreds of years, the businesses here have provided jobs and broader economic support to London for generations - please do everything you can to maintain this historic economically and culturally important district.”

Another signee, Kevin Wright, said: “This area is of great historic, social and cultural interest. Please stop it becoming another soulless area dominated by the interests of property developers like the rest of Hackney seems to be becoming - rapidly.”

Meanwhile Tori Mayo added: “It’s character, community and creativity which make these areas rich, not real estate.”