Controversial housing plans on Harold Hill car park approved

The council’s regulatory services committee approved plans on Friday night at the town hall in line with officers’ recommendations for two three-bedroom houses in Daventry Road.

The applicant Hill Partnership Ltd, based in Waltham Abbey, wants to build two three-bedroom houses for social rent on an area of council-owned land in Daventry Road.

The car park, which residents use for off-street parking, will have spaces reduced from 16 to eight.

The development will create an alleyway, which residents fear will attract anti-social behaviour.

A previous application was refused, but the applicant has returned adding two extra parking spaces from the previous application and a request for a stopping-up order to provide gates either side of the alleyway that would be created.

The applicant says keys would be available to Homes in Havering, who would manage the site, and residents.

But resident Caroline Fillery, of Daventry Road, said at the meeting: “The gated area will become a dumping ground. It is not right to expect residents to monitor this.

“We will not keep the keys for this. The stress this has had to everyone in this row is immense.”

Cllr Denis O’Flynn, ward councillor for the area, said: “This is an act against the community.

“There is no vandalism or anti-social behaviour there at the moment, but this application would create an alleyway and attract it.

“There is a growing demand for parking spaces in the area; we will be denying residents who need car parking spaces.”

Cllr Barry Tebbutt said he was concerned that as a result of previous stopping-up orders in the borough keys had been made readily available and were not secure as they should be.

He added: “It’s the question of materials for the gates and having something secure and sympathetic to residents.”

Planning permission was granted, but is subject to the approval of a stopping-up order for the gates, which will be decided by a separate committee.