Key Points
- Havering Council has granted full planning permission for the demolition of the former Atik nightclub on South Street in Romford.
- The vacant nightclub site will be transformed into a single eight-storey building housing 285 co-living or shared living apartments.
- The application was submitted jointly by property developers Urban Sketch and Legendre UK.
- The development scheme includes communal facilities such as shared kitchens, dining areas, lounges, a gym, and dedicated co-working spaces.
- The scheme provides a reduced level of affordable housing contributions, supported by a viability assessment submitted during the planning process.
- Local residents and community members raised objections regarding the height of the structure, potential overcrowding, and the impact on local infrastructure.
- Planning officers recommended approval, noting that the redevelopment brings a prominent, vacant brownfield site back into active economic and residential use.
Romford (East London Times) September 29, 2026 – Havering Council has formally approved planning permission for the complete demolition of the former Atik nightclub on South Street, Romford, clearing the way for a major residential redevelopment. Under the approved plans, the vacant entertainment venue will be replaced by an eight-storey block containing 285 purpose-built shared living units. The joint application, put forward by developers Urban Sketch and Legendre UK, marks a major transition for the South Street plot, which has remained disused since the nightclub permanently closed its doors two years ago.
Planning committee members evaluated the proposal against local development policies, regional housing targets, and the physical condition of the abandoned building. As documented in official municipal records, the local planning authority concluded that the benefit of bringing a disused brownfield site back into productive use outweighed concerns regarding building density. The decision allows the developers to proceed with site clearance, subject to specific legal agreements and technical planning conditions attached to the consent.
What Are the Specifications of the South Street Redevelopment Scheme?
The approved architectural plans outline an eight-storey single-structure block designed specifically around the co-living concept. The 285 shared living units are tailored for single-occupancy living, featuring private ensuite bedrooms paired with substantial shared amenity areas distributed throughout the building.
According to the design submission put forward by Legendre UK and Urban Sketch, the building incorporates communal kitchens, shared dining rooms, break-out lounges, a private gym, and quiet co-working zones aimed at young professionals. The ground floor of the development will maintain a commercial frontage along South Street, intended for retail or food and beverage usage to maintain pedestrian footfall along the main town centre thoroughfare. The structural envelope has been scaled to align with neighboring multi-storey developments while maximizing internal floor space within the site boundaries.
How Have Local Residents and Business Owners Reacted to the Decision?
The proposal attracted varying levels of response from the local community throughout the public consultation phase. Representations submitted to Havering Council detailed concerns from nearby residents regarding the height and overall massing of the proposed eight-storey block. Objections highlighted potential strain on local public services, increased demand on nearby public transport hubs, and the impact of a high-density development on the character of South Street.
Conversely, commercial operators along South Street expressed support for the removal of the derelict nightclub premises. Local trade representatives noted that leaving the large venue vacant created an eye-sore within the town centre. Proponents stated that replacing an idle evening-economy site with a permanent residential population would increase footfall for local retail, cafes, and services during daytime hours.
What Impact Will the Loss of Atik Have on Romford’s Night-Time Economy?
The approval confirms the permanent loss of one of Romford’s largest and longest-running nightlife venues. The South Street location operated under several notable brand names over recent decades, including Millennium, Liquid & Envy, and most recently Atik, serving as a primary focal point for the regional night-time economy in East London and Essex.
The venue ceased operations two years ago amidst broader financial headwinds across the UK leisure and hospitality sector. Industry trade bodies have consistently noted that rising operating costs, shifting consumer habits among younger demographics, and increased utility expenses have led to widespread closures of large-scale venues nationwide. The redevelopment of the South Street site signals a deliberate shift by urban planners away from large-scale single-use entertainment venues in favor of mixed-use, high-density residential hubs within town centres.
Background
The former Atik venue on South Street has played a prominent role in Romford’s town centre landscape for decades. Originally operating as a cinema before converting into a multi-room entertainment complex, the building became synonymous with the town’s vibrant late-night venue offering. Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, under banners such as Liquid & Envy, the site attracted thousands of visitors every weekend, establishing Romford as one of the major nightlife capitals of the outer London suburbs.
However, the economic conditions surrounding large-scale night-time venues deteriorated significantly over the past decade. Following changing nightlife trends, exacerbated by the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent inflationary pressures on supply chains and energy costs, venue operator Rekom UK initiated a restructuring process. This ultimately led to the permanent closure of Atik Romford two years ago.
Following its closure, the building stood vacant, prompting Havering Council to review alternative uses for the site under the Romford Town Centre Masterplan. The masterplan prioritizes town centre regeneration, the re-use of brownfield land, and the delivery of diverse housing options to meet strict Greater London Authority (GLA) housing targets. The submission by Urban Sketch and Legendre UK reflects a broader regional trend in which former retail and leisure structures are repurposed into managed co-living schemes to optimize land usage in transit-accessible urban centres.
Prediction
The redevelopment of the former Atik venue into 285 shared living units is anticipated to have direct consequences for several distinct groups across the London Borough of Havering:
- For Young Professionals and Renters: The introduction of 285 co-living units will provide a distinct housing tenure previously underrepresented in Romford. Young workers seeking flexible, lower-cost accommodation within walking distance of Romford station—and its direct Elizabeth Line connections to central London—will gain accessible housing options. However, as co-living spaces cater primarily to single occupants, the development will not address the localized demand for traditional multi-bedroom family housing.
- For Nearby Businesses and Retailers: The transition from a weekend night-time venue to a permanent residential population of nearly 300 occupants will likely stabilize daytime economy metrics along South Street. Local eateries, grocery stores, gyms, and service sector businesses stand to benefit from consistent daily footfall, shifting the economic dynamic of the street away from a late-night focus toward daily consumer commerce.
- For Local Infrastructure and Transport Services: The added population density will place incremental demand on local infrastructure, particularly primary healthcare facilities and public transport networks. While the development is designed as a car-free scheme due to its proximity to transit links, surrounding streets may experience increased demand for drop-off zones, delivery services, and parking management enforcement.
- For the Broader Romford Night-Time Economy: The permanent removal of the building as an entertainment space cements the contraction of Romford’s traditional late-night clubbing circuit. Adjacent late-night venues may see a short-term consolidation of remaining nightlife patrons, but the overall profile of the town centre will continue its transition toward a residential-led, mixed-use urban district.
