Havering Council has revised the proposed maximum heights for the new development on Como Street car park.
It marks a significant move reflecting the Council’s commitment to community engagement and listening to residents.
The proposed development is a mix of small number of three storey houses, and a series of apartment blocks at different heights, which includes a four, six, seven, eight and one nine storey block.
This decision comes after extensive consultations with local residents and stakeholders, who voiced their concerns about the scale and impact of the original proposals, which allowed for a maximum height of 12 storeys.
In response, the Council has worked closely with developers, Mercury Land Holdings, to ensure that the revised plan addresses these concerns while still delivering much-needed housing and community amenities within the town centre housing zone.
Councillor Graham Williamson, Cabinet Lead for Development and regeneration, said:
“We are honouring our election promise not to allow overdevelopment, whilst also trying to balance the need for homes for local people in the borough.
"This comes together with ensuring there remains ample car parking elsewhere in the town centre and the financial constraints we face in Havering, all of which are well-known issues to residents.
“By reducing the height of the Como Street development, we believe we have found a balanced solution that respects the wishes of our residents while meeting our development and financial goals, as we continue to prioritise the voices of Havering residents in shaping the future of our borough.”
The proposals are being developed with further technical and design work currently underway.
The development will replace the underused Como Street carpark to provide up to 137 new homes set across four buildings and a terrace with four new town houses.
There will also be approximately five units of commercial units at the end of North Street, designed to create a vibrant and inclusive community.