What the new Dorrington Gardens homes could look like. (Credit: SW Planning)
(Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Sebastian Mann)
The proposals were lodged on 4th November by SW Planning on behalf of Mercury Holdings Ltd (MHL), a private construction company wholly owned by the council.
If approved, 34 new homes would be built on Dorrington Gardens, a council-operated pay-and-display car park.
They would be split into one- and two-bedroom flats, and three-bedroom family homes. The 22 apartments would be spread over two three-storey blocks.
SW Planning wrote that the Dorrington Gardens scheme would transform a brownfield site into “much-needed new housing” and something more visually appealing.
It would involve the total demolition of everything currently on the site, and the planting of new trees and shrubs. A new cycling and walking route connecting nearby Bruce Avenue to the town centre has also been proposed.
They expressed concern about the impact on infrastructure and “overpopulation,” adding that open space was more important than building new homes.
According to documents submitted by the developer, an average of 17 of the 196 spaces in Dorrington Gardens are used each day.
Dorrington Gardens is one of six car parks in the borough the council is eyeing to for housing. It has argued they are “surplus” and the sizeable land can be better utilised.
Plans for six new homes in Keswick Avenue, in Hornchurch, were approved in April – but early proposals for a tower block in Como Street have been met with heavy opposition.
No formal plans have been yet put forward, but residents are concerned ‘excessive’ housing would block out sunlight and put too much strain on local infrastructure.
The demand for housing in the borough is quickly outpacing supply, a council report from June revealed, and the authority is pushing for more homes.
The previous month, councillors had greenlit plans to sell car parks in Romford and Hornchurch to its holding company in anticipation of housing schemes being drawn up.
In the meantime, the council will rent the car parks back from MLH at a very low, or “peppercorn,” rate.
A decision will be made on the future of Dorrington Gardens by 25th January 2025.
The nearest council-owned car parks are in Billet Lane, Fentiman Way and Appleton Way.
