‘This is shocking evidence of quite how far the Council’s political leaders are failing the environment of Romford.’

‘Poorly planned developments create chaotic, dirty and dangerous environments, to the detriment of the quality of life of residents both new and old. ‘

On Tuesday 5 of April 972 units were approved on the site of the former Ice rink in Romford. Despite three oppositions from Residents Association Councillors, the application went through. Many Romford locals who already fear for the over development in the area with the Waterloo estate, now have just under a thousand new properties coming to the area.

When the ice rink was closed and left in a run down condition, most local residents knew it was just a question of time and the building of flats would happen. Now, any area left that becomes vacant, is easily predicted to be a block of flats.

Andrew Curtin from Romford Civic Society spoke against the development on Tuesday evening, despite the inevitable result being known by everyone. The Society is a community organisation concerned to improve the environment of central Romford, new build, conservation and enhancement of historic environment, improved bio diversity and streetscene.

The report noted that development of this site; “necessitates an in-depth understanding and awareness of how the site sits in the wider context to ensure it can deliver a high quality proposal that contributes positively to Romford in the immediate and longer term. This should include as a minimum an analysis of the wider site connections that demonstrate the development in its current and potential future urban context.” In other words, the development needs to be linked in to the evolving surrounding environment. An objector to this plan told the Havering Daily: “This has not happened and the mythical Romford Masterplan is as elusive as the unicorn and the Easter Bunny!”

Andrew Curtin told the Havering Daily:

“This is shocking evidence of quite how far the Council’s political leaders are failing the environment of Romford.  Allowing massive, and in our opinion substandard, development such as this without a clear plan to ensure a high-quality environment rather than a fragmented series of piecemeal proposals is nothing short of scandalous.

“Poorly planned developments create  chaotic, dirty and dangerous environments, to the detriment of the quality of life of residents both new and old.  The Leader of the Council and his colleagues should be censured for their betrayal of Romford and its tens of thousands of residents.”