Havering Council Backs Controversial Como Street Development in Romford 2026

Key Points

• Planning officers at Havering Council have recommended that an application for redevelopment of Como Street Car Park with 138 residential units and commercial space be approved.
• This proposal by Mercury Land Holdings, owned by Havering Council, is facing fierce opposition locally, with over 120 official objections being filed.
• Romford MP Andrew Rosindell and former Havering councillor David Taylor have gone against the current plan, stating concerns related to overdevelopment, loss of public parking facilities, and pressure on the local infrastructure.
• Main worries from the community include the height and density of the proposed buildings, lack of privacy, traffic issues, removal of disabled parking spaces, and environmental concerns relating to the River Rom.
• The Environment Agency had raised an objection but later removed it upon fulfillment of certain conditions related to naturalization of the River Rom bank.
• Final judgment will rest with Havering Council’s Strategic Planning Committee on Thursday, 17 September.

Romford (East London Times) September 14, 2026 – A controversial proposal to transform the Como Street Car Park into a major residential and commercial complex could move a step closer to reality after Havering Council planning officers recommended the scheme for approval, despite more than 120 formal objections from local residents. The application, put forward by the council-owned developer Mercury Land Holdings, proposes the construction of 138 residential dwellings alongside flexible commercial and community space, updated access, public realm enhancements, and land layout alterations. The matter will be put before Havering Council’s Strategic Planning Committee on Thursday, 17 September, where elected members will weigh the officer recommendation against sustained community opposition.

Why Are Local Residents Opposing the Como Street Development?

Residents living along Como Street and the immediate surrounding roads have mounted a organized campaign against the proposals, arguing that the height, bulk, and overall scale of the development are entirely unsuitable for the area. The objection letters submitted to the local authority highlight severe concerns regarding overshadowing, loss of daylight, reduced privacy, increased traffic congestion, and the overall erosion of the suburban character of the neighbourhood.

For those residing in the older Victorian and Edwardian properties bordering the site, the proposal is viewed as an intrusion into private residential life. Occupants have repeatedly raised concerns that multi-storey structures will directly overlook existing private gardens and rear windows, fundamentally changing the nature of an established, quiet residential enclave situated on the edge of Romford town centre.

What Is the Justification Given by Havering Council Officers?

Despite the high volume of community objections, planning officers at Havering Council have concluded that the application meets spatial and housing policy targets. In their official assessment report, officers state that the proposed building heights, layout, and overall scale represent an acceptable design response for the town-centre fringe location.

The report asserts that the scheme would make a valuable contribution toward the London Borough of Havering’s residential delivery targets by expanding the local housing stock with an acceptable mix of housing units. Furthermore, the council’s assessment maintains that the modern architectural design responds positively to the urban environment and that the proposed distances between existing homes and the new blocks are sufficient to protect current residents’ standard of amenity.

What Have Political Representatives and Local Figures Said About the Plans?

The controversy has drawn formal intervention from key political figures representing the area. Andrew Rosindell, the Member of Parliament for Romford, has formally called on the Strategic Planning Committee to reject the current application.

Addressing the scheme’s layout and infrastructure impact, Rosindell stated:

“While I support regeneration and the delivery of new homes, this proposal is clearly overdeveloped and out of keeping with the character of Lower Mawneys. I am also concerned about the loss of a well-used public car park, inadequate parking provision for residents, and the additional pressure the development would place on already stretched local services and infrastructure. For these reasons, I strongly urge the committee to refuse planning application.”

Echoing these concerns, former local councillor David Taylor also criticized the project’s scale, pointing to the risk of negative impacts on the broader town centre and pointing out what he termed a “poor design which fails to respect local character.”

How Will the Loss of Parking and Environmental Factors Be Managed?

A major point of contention for both residents and local businesses is the complete removal of the existing Como Street public car park. Opponents argue that replacing a heavily used public parking facility with a residential development will severely exacerbate parking stress in adjacent residential roads. Particular concern has been directed at the proposed allocation of just five disabled parking spaces for the entire 138-dwelling development, raising questions over accessibility for disabled residents and visitors.

Alongside infrastructure issues, the site’s proximity to the River Rom—which currently flows through a concrete channel along the boundary—has brought environmental considerations into the planning process. Environmental statutory bodies have scrutinized the potential impact on local biodiversity and flood risk.

Following ongoing consultations, correspondence dated 19 February 2026 confirmed that the Environment Agency agreed to withdraw its previous formal objection to the scheme, provided specific planning conditions are attached to any permission granted. These conditions require the developer to construct a naturalised section of the riverbank, maximize the length of the naturalised riparian buffer zone, remove designated sections of the existing concrete river wall, and regrade the bank to support local ecology.

Background of the Development

The proposed redevelopment of the Como Street Car Park forms part of a broader, long-term urban regeneration strategy managed by Havering Council and its wholly owned housing enterprise, Mercury Land Holdings. Established to accelerate housing delivery across the borough, Mercury Land Holdings focuses on converting council-owned assets—such as surface car parks, operational land, and underutilised brownfield sites—into high-density residential developments.

Over the past decade, Romford town centre and its peripheral residential margins have undergone significant structural changes. Driven by London-wide housing targets, the area has seen an increasing number of high-density, multi-storey block developments replace lower-rise commercial structures and municipal surface car parks. This shift has created ongoing friction between local planning authorities aiming to meet housing targets and long-standing communities seeking to preserve the historic suburban character, parking capacity, and streetscape scale of traditional residential neighbourhoods like Lower Mawneys.

Prediction: How This Development Could Affect Local Stakeholders

Should the Strategic Planning Committee grant planning permission on 17 September, the decision will directly impact several distinct groups across Romford:

• Immediate Neighbourhood Residents: Homeowners and tenants along Como Street and neighboring roads will face a long construction phase followed by a permanent alteration to their living environment. The insertion of taller residential blocks is expected to diminish private garden privacy, reduce natural daylight for adjacent properties, and significantly increase competition for street parking following the permanent removal of the public car park.
• Local Commuters and Town Centre Shoppers: The total loss of the Como Street surface car park will reduce overall short-stay and long-stay public parking capacity on the edge of Romford town centre, potentially increasing congestion as drivers search for alternative parking in surrounding residential streets or commercial garages.
• Prospective Homebuyers and Housing Applicants: For individuals seeking housing within the borough, the scheme will introduce 138 modern residential units into the market, aiding local density targets and providing new housing options within walking distance of local transport links.
• Local Public Services: The influx of residents from 138 new homes will put additional operational demand on existing local infrastructure, including nearby general practitioner (GP) surgeries, primary schools, public transport, and drainage networks in the Lower Mawneys area.