Agenda item

Councillor Osman Dervish, Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services and Community Safety, introduced the report

Cabinet was reminded that approval for the Romford Development Framework to guide the future development of the town over the next 20 years was sought.  It would provide support to the Council to enable it to have more control over the quality of design and materials of the built form and clearly articulate its ambitions, preferences and improve engagement with prospective developers/landowners if adopted.

The Framework set out an ambitious but realistic physical vision for the town and the mechanism by which it would be delivered.  It proposed six strategic objectives which sought to ensure Romford capitalised on the town centre’s significant potential for economic growth – with the aim of delivering thousands of high quality new homes and jobs, attracting more shoppers and leisure visitors, and  capitalising on property demand and value growth driven by the arrival of Crossrail in 2018/19.

The development Framework took a holistic view of the town centre and its key character areas rather than solely concentrating on the individual development opportunities.  Character areas had been developed and the Framework provided specific guidance and principles for each of these which sought to control and influence new development in the individual areas.

More detailed proposals for each of the character areas and key opportunity sites had been underpinned by urban design analysis, viability appraisal and analysis of development constraints, to ensure that any barriers to delivery could be overcome within the requisite timescales.  This analysis had provided the basis for the development of a town centre-wide Framework designed to strengthen Romford’s identity, helping Romford over time to become more legible, coherent and prosperous.

Proposed guidance on development densities provided opportunities for residential led, mixed-use schemesproviding high quality urban living for a new economically active community, whilst new social infrastructure brought forward in parallel with development would better serve the needs of existing residents in the town centre and beyond.

The Framework was broadly consistent with national and Mayoral planning policy and it would be taken forward as part of the evidence base of, and, subject to Member approval, be incorporated, as appropriate, in the emerging new Havering Local Plan.  It would not be subject to public consultation nor adopted as a formal statutory planning document but would be taken into account as a material planning consideration by development management planners in pre-application discussions and / or the consideration of planning applications..

Reasons for the Decision

It was recommended that Members approve the Development Framework.  The Framework was intended to form part of the evidence base for the new Havering Local Plan, superseding the Havering Local Development Framework and the Romford Area Action Plan (2008) and, to that end, it included recommendations to inform and support proposed future site allocations and policy subject to Member approval.  The Framework was consistent with the national and Mayoral planning policy which promoted the importance of a plan-led approach to development.  It would also serve as a marketing tool for the town as well as a guide to developers.

As a non-statutory document that was not formal planning policy it would give the Council a tool to use when discussing applications with developers and it would have the status of a material planning consideration.  Applications could be discussed on a site by site basis within the guidelines for the character area and with a key focus on the quality of design and the appropriateness of material choices.

Alternative Options Considered

Not to publish the Romford Development Framework.  This option was considered and rejected as there was a need to have a clear and comprehensive set of principles that could be discussed with developers.  The current Romford Action Plan did provide policy guidance and the Framework built on current policy but with an increased emphasis on high quality design.

Cabinet:

(1)          Approved the Romford Development Framework (which was a background paper to this report) and agreed that the Romford Development Framework should be a material planning consideration when considering development proposals.

(2)          Agreed to work proactively with developers and key stakeholders to bring forward developments that met the aspirations of the Framework and to take forward the actions proposed in the Framework.