A 37-home development in Victoria Road has been given the green light.

The plans involve building a part five-storey and part six-storey development on the Romford site, consisting of eight one-bed, 22 two-bed, and seven three-bed self-contained homes, plus ground floor commercial units.

The decision was reached by Havering Council’s strategic planning committee on March 24, at which councillors voted unanimously to approve its construction.

Representations against the proposal were made, including by Ian Winchester-Fraser, who runs his electronic business from an adjacent property on Victoria Road.

His concerns related to driveway access and potential intrusion of privacy if the development went ahead.

He said his property would be “completely overlooked”, adding: “Why should this privacy be taken away now?”

One of the ward’s councillors, Cllr Judith Holt, also spoke against the plans, arguing it constituted an “overdevelopment of the site”.

The removal of a Victorian building was another point of contention.

Cllr Holt said: “Surely it could have been incorporated into the plan? But once it’s gone, it’s gone.”

Among those who spoke in favour was Labour group leader Cllr Keith Darvill, who said the plans would help alleviate the housing crisis in Havering.