Six Storey YMCA Development Approved for Rush Green.

The YMCA has been given approval from councillors in Barking and Dagenham to build a new six-storey tower block at its site in Rush Green, writes local democracy reporter Sebastian Mann.

Barking and Dagenham Council’s planning committee voted unanimously to approve the new YMCA building on Tuesday (10th), although the scheme also needs the backing of councillors in Havering because the site spans the boundary between the two boroughs.

A planning officers’ report states the YMCA’s existing building on site “is in a poor state of repair” and that residents of the current building could be moved into the new one.

Labour committee member Muhib Choudhury asked about the development’s impact on traffic, and local services such as doctors, dentists and schools.

But the council’s planning officer said that there wouldn’t be an impact on schools as the hostel serves homeless adults.

She added that as hostel residents would be moved from the YMCA’s existing tower, the council also didn’t anticipate extra impact on local services.

The officer added: “The YMCA have shown us that actually most of their residents don’t use cars so the anticipation will be that this is car-free, and they will have control of how the car parking is managed.”

Councillors on the committee voted to grant approval unanimously.

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