M&S set for Queen's Hospital Romford wants longer opening hours

Plans for a 213 square metre M&S retail unit and two flexible-use retail pods in the forecourt of Queen's Hospital were approved by the council in June this year.

The approval was accompanied by planning conditions setting out the materials to be used, construction times and trading hours.

Planning officers enforced that the development must begin within three years of planning permission being granted.

Construction work is allowed between 8am and 6pm on weekdays, and between 8am and 1pm on Saturdays.

The approved store hours are 7am to 8pm from Monday to Friday, and 9am to 6pm on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays.

However, a new planning application, submitted by applicant David Stock and validated on September 8, seeks to change several of those conditions.

The main request concerns the store's opening hours.

Marks & Spencer wants one condition allowing the store to open from 7am to 8pm every day including weekends.

If approved, Saturday and Sunday access would begin two hours earlier and finish two hours later than the conditions initially wished.

The application says the change would "support NHS colleagues who start work before 9am".

Other proposed changes concern the market square and the store’s design.

Two cycle shelters included in the approved plans would be removed as the NHS trust has decided to move all bicycle and motorcycle parking to another location on the hospital site.

Additional bench seating for patients, visitors and staff is proposed where the shelters would have stood.

The fruit hut would also be moved slightly from its initially approved position.

Its new position would allow fruit display tables to extend outwards without blocking fire track routes or accessible paths but the hut’s size, appearance and use would not change.

A separate application was submitted for five new signs and nine printed graphics on September 10.

Two of the proposed signs would feature the brand logo in black lettering, while the graphics around the side of the building are set to promote certain M&S products and list the opening hours.

Mr Stock also wants to reduce the number of retail pods from two, as confirmed in the initial plans, to one.

The new application says this follows a review of pedestrian movement, fire track access and emergency escape routes beside the hospital building.

A minor change is proposed to the rear elevation of the M&S store, which faces the multi-storey car park and is not visible to the public.

The application also wants to remove a pelmet signage panel and extend fire-rated CladEx cladding across the building’s full height.

The plans are set to be decided on by Havering Council by November 3.