A housing developer has put forward a planning application for a 10-storey apartment block in Rainham - in addition to a 700 home development that has already been approved.

Clarion Housing has submitted proposals to demolish current buildings at the former RTS Motors site in New Road and construct a building accommodating 54 homes.

The plans also include 345 square metres (m2) of commercial space and new pedestrian routes.

A Clarion spokesperson said the RTS Motors proposals will introduce a “landmark building” to the corner of New Road and Station Approach.

The Recorder reported in February that permission had been granted by Havering Council for Clarion’s plans for 717 homes at 90 New Road, the site of the former Somerfield depot.

The mixed-tenure development will include one, two and three-bedroom apartments, maisonettes and houses alongside 1,000m2 of commercial space.

If the latest plans are approved, the combined development will total 771 homes, with Clarion managing 151 shared ownership properties and 101 homes for ‘affordable’ rent. The remaining 510 units will be for private sale.

Richard Cook, group director of development for Clarion, said it was thrilled to buy the RTS Motors site to include within the 90 New Road and Beam Park masterplan.

He said: “Our design for the building defines Station Approach with active frontages overlooking the surrounding public spaces, creating a strong sense of place, designed to connect and complement the adjacent developments and encourage a vibrant local centre and an attractive place for people to live.

“We’re excited to continue our work with Havering Council to create a thriving new neighbourhood, with mixed tenure homes arranged around extensive landscaped spaces, providing opportunities for homeworking as well as an easy commute into central London.”

The plans will be considered by the council at a later date and, if approved, Clarion said building work is likely to start next January once a contractor has been appointed.

Further along New Road is the planned Beam Park estate which will see 3,000 homes, a rail station and two primary schools built on land running across Rainham and Dagenham.