The vision is set out in the Romford Masterplan, a council planning document that aims to guide development in the area over the next 15 to 20 years.
If realised, the blueprint would bring major changes to the town centre, including opening up the culverted sections of the River Rom.
One section of the river currently runs beneath the Brewery shopping centre, which is earmarked for redevelopment in the masterplan.
This would see shops moved to new blocks either side of the uncovered river, which would be surrounded on both sides by a park called Brewery Gardens.
Havering Council hopes that a new entrance to Romford station could then be built at the southern end of the park in Exchange Street.
This new entrance could make use of the historic archway through the viaduct previously used for goods trains.
Other proposals suggested in the masterplan include transforming the ring road into an “urban boulevard” with new crossings and planting.
Parking would be removed from Market Place in an effort to upgrade its public spaces.
The blueprint also references the desire to introduce a new north to south rapid transit system through the town centre.
Specific details about what this could entail are not mentioned in the plans, although one section references creating space for trams in Waterloo Road.
Smaller, more walkable blocks with new streets also form part of the council’s vision to “create a finer urban grain” in the town centre.
The local authority held a six week consultation on the draft masterplan at the end of last year, but few major changes have subsequently been made to the blueprint.
One alteration from the original draft was to add a goal to ensure that development in Romford creates a “safe and inclusive” town centre.
The plans will next be discussed at a council scrutiny committee next Thursday (March 6).
Havering’s cabinet is then expected to adopt the masterplan at its meeting the following week (March 12).
