Residents oppose the proposed tower block in Romford, citing concerns over suitability and community impact
Romford: The town hall is looking at six sites for new housing. Como Street and Angel Way are two of them. They discussed these plans at a recent meeting.
The Como Street plan includes a nine-storey tower with 137 flats. The ground floor would be for shops or cafes. The developer, Mercury Land Holdings, wants to keep the space flexible for community use.
They say more housing is needed. Last year, Havering Council overspent its housing budget by £6.1 million. They expect a £75 million overspend for 2025/26, mainly due to housing at-risk families in hotels.
About 30 residents showed up to voice their concerns. Conservative councillor David Taylor said this showed strong feelings against the plans. He believes the tower is not suitable for the area.
Residents worry that the new flats will overlook their homes. They want the council to consider smaller, two-storey family homes instead.
Some residents feel the council didn’t consult them enough. They only held two online webinars and one meeting with a local group. Taylor said the neighborhood is at risk of losing its character.
The plans won’t include parking spaces, following the Mayor of London’s push for active living. Councillor Tim Ryan thinks this could lead to more traffic problems in Romford.
The developers said an underground car park is too expensive. Ryan added that Como Street is an old part of Romford that needs protection.
During the meeting, it was mentioned that the ground floor wouldn’t be used for housing. Labour councillor Jane Keane agreed, citing safety and hygiene issues for ground-floor flats.
However, she doesn’t want empty shops either. No decisions have been made yet about the Como Street or Angel Way plans.
The proposal to replace the five-storey car park in Angel Way has received less backlash. It would create 105 flats in two blocks, each six to eight storeys tall.
The council got 12 comments during public consultation, with nine being negative. Residents understand the need for housing but fear overdevelopment.
After the meeting, Taylor said Mercury Land Holdings would meet with residents again. They hope to make changes to the plans.
Romford MP Andrew Rosindell was also at the meeting, protesting against the loss of Romford’s character. He expressed concern that more high-rise buildings would change the town’s identity.
