Key Points

• Havering Council issued an enforcement notice to Berwick Manor Hotel, Rainham, over alleged unauthorised roof alterations and construction of dormer windows without planning permission.
• The enforcement notice identifies breaches of planning control harmful to local amenity, referencing excessive scale and visual intrusion, as well as concerns over overlooking and privacy for neighbouring residents.
• Local residents have complained for years about persistent nuisances including noise, antisocial behaviour, and illegal parking associated with hotel events, prompting the involvement of Margaret Mullane MP.
• The Council, prompted by the MP and resident complaints, is expected to intensify environmental health and planning enforcement actions.
• Part of the enforcement notice was appealed, with a mixed outcome: some aspects were upheld, some dismissed.
• Berwick Manor Hotel operators have yet to publicly respond to specific enforcement findings and community criticisms in a substantive way.
• The formal notice relates to the property at 64 Berwick Road, Rainham, RM13 9QL.
• The matter remains ongoing with further community meetings and possible council actions anticipated in the coming weeks.

Berwick Manor Hotel, Rainham issued with enforcement notice

The London Borough of Havering has formally served an enforcement notice against Berwick Manor Hotel in Rainham, citing breaches of planning control and local amenity concerns. Persistent resident complaints and high-profile advocacy from MP Margaret Mullane have brought environmental and planning issues at the venue to national attention, with the situation now under council review and further action expected.

What are the details of the enforcement notice against Berwick Manor Hotel?

According to the official planning enforcement notice issued by the London Borough of Havering and reviewed by the Council, the property at 64 Berwick Road, Rainham, RM13 9QL Land Registry Title Number EX51200 was found to have undergone alterations to its main roof, specifically the construction of two dormer windows, without securing planning permission.

As outlined by the enforcement notice:

• The alleged unauthorised works occurred within the last four years, prompting the Council to act under Section 171A(1)(a) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 as amended.
• The Council determined the dormer windows, due to their excessive scale, depth, and render finish, are “unacceptably dominant and visually intrusive” and detrimental to the surrounding area, citing Policy 26 of the Havering Local Plan (2016-2031) and the Residential Extensions and Alterations Supplementary Planning Document.
• There were also concerns regarding privacy and overlooking, particularly affecting the neighbouring property at No.62 Berwick Road, Rainham, considered contrary to Policies 7 and 26 of the Local Plan.

The notice requires remedial steps to address these breaches and any resulting injuries to amenity.

Why did local residents call for action against the Berwick Manor Hotel?

As reported by Margaret Mullane, Member of Parliament for Dagenham and Rainham, on her website, residents near Berwick Manor Hotel have endured persistent problems with noise, antisocial behaviour, and illegal or dangerous parking related to hotel events, especially those running late on weekends.

In Mullane’s statement:

“I have brought these issues to the attention of the Council’s Chief Executive because local residents believed that their enquiries were getting nowhere … The nuisances have gone on for far too long and action is needed. I understand that a marquee had been erected in breach of planning rules, so I have asked the Council to get to grips with that. I also want the Environmental Health team to step up their involvement to control the level of noise nuisance.”

Residents described living at their “wits end” as a result of ongoing disruption, while Mullane indicated that further meetings and pressure on the council were underway to safeguard local amenity.

How has Havering Council responded to the planning breaches and complaints?

The Council’s most visible action is the formal enforcement notice issued in March 2022, detailing requirements for remedial steps to address the unauthorised roof works. The process is governed by UK planning law and involves rights of appeal and ongoing dialogue.

Following the advocacy from Margaret Mullane MP and continued community concern, the Council has also been urged to increase the activities of its Environmental Health team to address noise and nuisance factors more assertively.

What happened in the appeal against the enforcement notice?

According to a document published by Havering Council on 1 September 2023, the appeal submitted by the hotel’s ownership was partially allowed and partially dismissed. Specific elements upheld by the Planning Inspector included the requirement to remedy visual and privacy impacts; other aspects may have been relaxed, although the Council’s main findings on intrusion and harm to amenity were supported in part. Full details of the Inspector’s decision can be found in Council records; key steps required by the notice still stand.

Has the Berwick Manor Hotel responded to the enforcement notice and complaints?

The hotel management has yet to issue a substantive public statement responding to either the planning enforcement findings or persistent community complaints as of 8 October 2025. No new comments have appeared on the hotel’s official website or major booking platforms. Historically, operational challenges at Berwick Manor have resulted in intermittent local press coverage, but direct statements addressing these recent enforcement actions are currently absent.

What are the next steps for local residents and authorities?

Margaret Mullane MP stated she is

“arranging a meeting for the residents over the next weeks”

to further address these concerns in cooperation with the Council. The expectation is that Havering Council will:

• Continue enforcement and monitoring pursuant to planning law.
• Step up Environmental Health efforts to control nuisance and ensure compliance with planning and noise regulations.
• Seek engagement with Berwick Manor Hotel operators so as to clarify and resolve recurring issues.

Any future developments will be shaped by council actions, ongoing dialogue between stakeholders, and evolving community pressures.

What wider context influences planning and environmental enforcement at the Berwick Manor Hotel site?

Expert sources, including the Council’s planning and licensing documentation, underscore how enforcement decisions must balance development plans, amenity protection, and residents’ rights. The involvement of elected representatives and regulatory officials signals heightened attention to compliance—both for unauthorised building works and ongoing operational nuisance.

The property is a well-known site in Rainham and subject to repeated scrutiny regarding planning and environmental quality. Enforcement cases such as these are governed by the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, supplemented in Havering by local statutes and guidelines, such as Policy 26 of the Local Plan and the Residential Extensions SPD.