Havering Council acts over Hornchurch Road mixed‑use tyre business

Key Points

• Havering Council has served an enforcement notice relating to the commercial use of land at and behind 228 Hornchurch Road, including a store to the rear of 222/224 Hornchurch Road.
• The notice states that the use of the land has changed to a mixed use comprising tyre fitting and storage, motor vehicle repairs and a motor vehicle accessory shop, together with the erection of fencing to the rear of the site, all allegedly without planning permission within the last ten years.
• The address of Hornchurch Tyres, a business operating from 228 Hornchurch Road, is specifically named in the enforcement notice documentation.
• Hornchurch Tyres was approached for comment in relation to the enforcement action but did not respond to the request.
• Havering Council considers the change of use at the site to be “unacceptably detrimental” to the amenities of surrounding occupiers and neighbouring residents.
• The council’s concerns focus on noise and disturbance associated with the hours and nature of the operations carried out at the premises.
• The authority further believes that the current use of the site and its configuration are “harmful” to both highway safety and pedestrian safety in the locality.
• The enforcement notice seeks to address alleged breaches of planning control that the council says have occurred within the last decade, rather than changes covered by any existing planning consent.
• The case highlights tensions between local commercial activity and residential amenity in a busy suburban corridor of Hornchurch, within the London Borough of Havering.
• The matter may proceed to appeal or further legal processes if the parties involved contest the council’s findings or the requirements set out in the enforcement notice.

Hornchurch (East London Times) January 31, 2026 – An enforcement notice has been issued by Havering Council against land and premises linked to a tyre and motor services operation on Hornchurch Road, after the local authority alleged that a range of commercial activities, including tyre fitting, vehicle repairs and accessory sales, had been carried out for years without the required planning permission and to the detriment of nearby residents.

What enforcement action has Havering Council taken on Hornchurch Road?

Havering Council has initiated formal enforcement action in respect of 228 Hornchurch Road and a store located to the rear of 222/224 Hornchurch Road, following an investigation into the way the land is currently being used. According to details contained in the enforcement notice, the council believes the original authorised use of the land has been altered to create what it describes as a “mixed use” operation combining several vehicle-related services.

The notice sets out that the land is now in use for tyre fitting and tyre storage, motor vehicle repairs and the running of a motor vehicle accessory shop, all within a single complex spanning the main address and the rear elements of the neighbouring properties. It also records that fencing has been erected at the back of the site, changing the appearance and layout of the rear area without planning approval.

By serving an enforcement notice, the council has triggered a formal planning enforcement process, compelling those responsible for the site either to regularise the development through a successful planning application or to comply with the specific steps set out in the notice to remedy the alleged breach.

Such notices typically include a timescale for compliance and may require the cessation of unauthorised uses, the removal of structures, or other remedial actions deemed necessary by the planning authority.

The action on Hornchurch Road comes against the backdrop of wider efforts by local authorities, including Havering, to tackle what they view as unauthorised intensification of commercial uses in residential and mixed-use streets. Enforcement notices are one of the strongest tools available to councils when negotiations or informal approaches fail to address potential planning breaches.

Why does the enforcement notice describe a “mixed use” for the Hornchurch site?

The documentation accompanying the enforcement notice explains that Havering Council considers the current activities at the Hornchurch Road site to amount to a

“mixed use for tyre fitting and storage, motor vehicle repairs and motor vehicle accessory shop”.

This means that, in the council’s view, the premises are no longer operating under a single, clearly defined planning use class, but rather as a combination of several distinct but related commercial functions.

Mixed uses of this kind can be particularly sensitive in planning terms, because the overall impact on neighbours is assessed across the full range of activities taking place, from the volume of customer traffic and deliveries to noise generated by mechanical work and the storage of goods.

In this case, tyre fitting and storage introduce regular movement of vehicles and handling of heavy items, while vehicle repairs can involve power tools, engine revving and diagnostic work, all of which may produce noise and disturbance.

The inclusion of a motor vehicle accessory shop in the description suggests that, as well as providing services, the site is also trading directly with members of the public in items such as tyres, parts, and related products. This retail element can lengthen opening hours and increase footfall and parking demand, adding a further dimension to the overall impact on the area.

By formally characterising the operation as a mixed use, the council is signalling that, in its view, the cumulative effect of these different elements goes beyond what was originally envisaged or permitted for the site. That assessment underpins its decision to use enforcement powers to challenge the way the land is currently being used and to seek either its reduction, reconfiguration or cessation, depending on the eventual outcome of the case.

What breach of planning control is Havering Council alleging?

The enforcement notice states that the changes to the use of the land and the erection of fencing at the rear have occurred within the last ten years without the benefit of planning permission. In planning law terms, this amounts to an alleged breach of planning control, because material changes in the use of land, and most forms of operational development such as fences or structures, require specific consent unless they fall within narrowly drawn permitted development rights.

By emphasising the ten-year period, the council is implicitly referencing the time limits that apply to planning enforcement. For certain changes of use, if a breach continues openly for ten years or more without action, it may become immune from enforcement and capable of being regularised by way of a lawful development certificate.

The notice signals that the authority does not accept that such immunity has been achieved in this case, asserting instead that the relevant activities and physical alterations have taken place within a timeframe that keeps them within scope for enforcement.

In practical terms, the alleged breach centres on the intensification and diversification of commercial activity at a location that may originally have been subject to a more limited consent, or even to a different planning designation altogether.

The combination of tyre-related services, mechanical repairs and accessory retailing is, according to the council, not covered by any existing planning permission, and has therefore proceeded without the necessary scrutiny of impacts on neighbours and the local environment.

The erection of fencing to the rear of the site is also singled out as an unauthorised operational change, suggesting that the council considers it to affect either visual amenity, access, or the way in which space is used on the site. Together, the alleged change of use and physical alterations form the basis of the case being taken forward through the enforcement process.

How is Hornchurch Tyres connected to the enforcement notice and what has the business said?

Hornchurch Tyres, which is listed as having the address of 228 Hornchurch Road, is among the parties that have been sent the enforcement notice, indicating that the council regards the business as directly involved in the use of the premises under investigation. The inclusion of the company’s trading address in the documentation aligns the enforcement action with the day-to-day operations observed at the site.

In keeping with standard journalistic practice on matters of public interest, reporters sought a response from Hornchurch Tyres once details of the enforcement notice and its contents became available.

A request for comment was made to the business, offering the opportunity to set out its position, explain its understanding of the planning history, or respond to the council’s concerns about amenity and safety.

However, Hornchurch Tyres did not respond to that request for comment by the time of publication. The absence of a reply means that, at this stage, there is no public statement from the company setting out whether it accepts or contests the council’s account of the site’s use, or what action it plans to take in response to the enforcement notice.

Without a formal comment from the business, key questions remain unanswered, including whether the owners believe they already hold sufficient planning permission, whether they intend to submit a retrospective planning application, or whether they will seek to appeal the notice through the Planning Inspectorate.

The opportunity to provide such clarification remains open as the process unfolds, but for now the public record reflects only the council’s formal assertions and the fact that the business has been notified.

Why does Havering Council believe the Hornchurch site is harming local amenity?

In the wording of the enforcement notice, Havering Council states that the change of use at the Hornchurch Road site is “unacceptably detrimental” to the amenities of surrounding occupiers and neighbouring residents. In planning terms, “amenity” is a broad concept that encompasses the quality of life and enjoyment of property, taking into account factors such as noise, disturbance, traffic, visual impact and general environmental conditions.

The council’s concerns in this instance focus in particular on noise and disturbance arising during the hours when the tyre fitting, storage, repairs and accessory sales are taking place.

Vehicle-based businesses can generate a constant flow of cars and vans arriving and leaving, along with the sounds of engines, tools, impact guns used to remove and fit wheels, and other workshop activities. When these occur close to homes, especially over extended opening times, they can significantly affect residents’ ability to enjoy their properties.

By describing the impact as “unacceptably detrimental”, the council is indicating that, in its judgement, the level and nature of disturbance caused by the current use is beyond what could reasonably be expected in this location.

This suggests that complaints or observations about noise, general activity and possibly parking and congestion have played a role in prompting a closer look at how the site is being used.

The enforcement notice functions as a formal expression of that assessment, setting out the reasons why the local planning authority considers it necessary to intervene. It also creates a public record of the specific harms identified, which will be examined in any subsequent appeal or planning application, where independent inspectors or councillors will weigh the evidence from all sides before reaching a final decision.

How has the site’s use and layout raised concerns about highway and pedestrian safety?

In addition to amenity issues, Havering Council’s enforcement notice records that the use of the Hornchurch Road site and its location have been described as “harmful” to highway and pedestrian safety. This indicates that the authority believes the way vehicles and people move in and around the premises poses risks that are not compatible with safe operation on a busy local road.

Typical concerns in such cases can include vehicles reversing into or out of narrow accesses, customers parking on pavements or in inappropriate places, and delivery vehicles stopping in a way that obstructs sightlines for other drivers and pedestrians.

A tyre and motor services business may attract a steady stream of customers throughout the day, including large vans, alongside deliveries of tyres and parts that require significant loading and unloading space.

The configuration of the Hornchurch Road frontage, combined with the rear access and fencing, may be contributing to congestion or to manoeuvres that the council’s highways officers consider dangerous, especially if the area is already heavily trafficked or close to junctions, bus stops or pedestrian crossings.

Pedestrian safety is a particular concern where customers or staff have to walk through areas used for vehicle movements, or where parked vehicles reduce visibility for people crossing the road.

By formally identifying the situation as harmful to highway and pedestrian safety, the council is setting out a further, distinct set of planning harms beyond noise and disturbance.

These safety considerations will be central to any future assessment of whether the mixed use can be made acceptable through conditions or alterations, or whether the level of risk is such that a significant scaling back or cessation of certain activities is required.

What happens next for the Hornchurch Road site under the enforcement process?

Once an enforcement notice has been served, those named on the document – typically the landowner, occupier and any relevant businesses – have a defined period in which they can lodge an appeal with the Planning Inspectorate. An appeal can challenge the council’s assertion that a breach has occurred, contest the way the site’s use has been characterised, or argue that the steps required by the notice are excessive or unreasonable.

If an appeal is made, the enforcement notice is usually held in abeyance until the appeal is determined, which can take several months and may involve written representations, hearings or inquiries.

During that time, the Planning Inspectorate will consider evidence from both the council and the appellant, including planning history, site assessments and any expert reports on amenity or highway impacts.

If no appeal is lodged within the prescribed timeframe, the enforcement notice comes into effect on the date specified within it, and those responsible for the site are required to comply with its requirements by the stated deadlines. Failure to comply with an effective enforcement notice is a criminal offence and can result in prosecution, fines and, in some circumstances, direct action by the council to carry out works and recover the costs.

For local residents and businesses in the wider Hornchurch area, the coming months will determine whether the tyre and motor services operation can continue in its current form, whether it will be altered to address the council’s concerns, or whether it will ultimately have to cease some or all of its activities at the site.

The case illustrates the balancing act that planning authorities must perform between supporting local enterprise and safeguarding the living conditions and safety of the communities they serve.