Plans to increase the number of homes being built on the former St George’s Hospital site in Hornchurch will be discussed by Havering councillors at a planning meeting this week.

Tomorrow (Wednesday, July 4), the borough’s strategic planning committee will meet at Havering Town Hall in Main Road, Romford, after the site’s developers revealed they wished to increase the number of homes being built on the site from 290 to 359.

The developers claim this increase is possible because a number of the former hospital buildings, which initial plans hoped to keep, have been found to have structural damage and will need to be completely demolished.

It is important to note this is a pre-planning application hearing, and is used to give developers guidance on what the borough’s councillors and planning officers are willing to accept and what changes they think will need to be made to the application before it is formally authorised.

The report to be discussed by councillors, drawn up by a Havering Council planning officer, says the increased size of the development is acceptable, as it would help the borough hit the 1,170 new homes a year target set by City Hall.

It states: “The proposal for an additional 69 units would increase the overall contribution that the redevelopment of St George’s Hospital would make to 3pc of the 10 year target and the principle of the development is therefore supported as it would make an important contribution to meeting Havering’s housing needs.”

In March this year, it was revealed that NHS Property Services had sold the former hospital site to Bellway – one of the largest housebuilders in the UK – for more than £40million.

A survey of Recorder readers found that 60pc believed that Hornchurch was not prepared to suddenly accommodate 300 new family homes.

However, the remaining 40pc felt the NHS was in need of the money.

As part of the development, Bellway will be expected to make a contribution of up to £576,000 towards nearby education services.

The report also reveals that discussions are currently taking place between Bellway and the Hornchurch Aerodrome Society to create space within the development for a permanent exhibition dedicated to the history of RAF Hornchurch.