Parts Of A Romford Shopping Centre Could Face The Axe To Make Way For Twenty Five Storey Tower Block And Further Tower Blocks Surrounding.

Parts of a popular Havering shopping centre could be demolished to make way for 700 new homes, writes local democracy reporter Sebastian Mann.

Pre-application planning documents, due before a strategic planning committee next week, involve a 25-storey tower block being built next to the Liberty Shopping Centre in Romford.

It will be flanked by two wings, between ten and eleven storeys tall.

The scheme would also involve the new towers facing Market Place. A tower between five and six storeys would sit closest to the historic shopping area, with taller buildings sitting behind, between 14 and 15 storeys high.

In a public flyer, planning applicant Redical said: “The Liberty site is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to deliver positive regeneration at the heart of Romford. Its scale and location – between the Market Place, South Street, and Western Road – mean it can connect the town centre together, creating new homes, shops, public spaces, and green links that support Romford’s growth and identity.”

Several concerns have been raised directly with Redical by residents as part of a borough-wide consultation.

Some residents focused on “noisy” construction that “may affect trading”.

The applicants say that key entrances to the Liberty will remain open, so shoppers “can continue to come and go as normal”. They added: “Shops will remain open as usual during construction, meaning your visit won’t be interrupted.”

Other comments focused on “oversized, tall structures”.

Proposals for new tower blocks in Havering have historically been controversial. Plans to redevelop underused car parks across the borough have been met with varying levels of pushback from locals, including those who say they will fight the plans “tooth and nail”.

Redical argues that taller buildings “help us make the most of a well-connected town centre site to create new homes for families while preserving space for new shops, public squares and green areas.”

They added that it will boost Romford’s profile as a place to live, after consultees voiced frustration people were moving out of the east London borough.

The applicants also intend to incorporate Mercury House into the scheme, converting the office block into homes. The building is currently owned by Havering Council and will need to be purchased first.

Initially, only the redevelopment of the Liberty would be approved. Each further development would require separate planning permission, and the scheme will take several years to complete.

The site falls within the Romford strategic development area, as per the council’s Local Plan, which encourages developers to build new homes, shops and other infrastructure.

Councillors will discuss the proposals at a meeting next week.

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