Havering Council’s planning team has refused a prior approval application for a two-storey extension on top of T.H.S Furniture shop in Market Place, consisting of 14 flats.
The extension would be “set back” – according to the plans submitted by Niroshia Abdulla of Uplegend Limited – covering the back part of the shop.
One neighbour objected to the proposal, arguing that Market Place is “already overcrowded”, while Romford Civic Society “strongly opposed” the application.
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The group said the new flats would “reduce visual appeal” and that redevelopment of the site would require “careful consideration” of form and materials due to it being in the Romford Conservation Area.
This was also one of the reasons Havering’s planning team refused the prior approval, as the development would “not preserve the character or appearance” of the conservation area.
Another refusal reason revealed by the planning officer’s report is the flats’ impact on the views from Market Place.
The report said: “The proposed two-storey front block above the existing building would introduce significant bulk and massing that would be visually and architecturally jarring.”
The report added that the prior approval application had not considered the potential noise impact on the homes from deliveries to the shop units.
Prior approval is used to determine if permission is required for developments where a formal planning application is not needed.
