Barking and Dagenham Council's Planning Committee has approved a non-material amendment to a previous planning consent at Beam Park, which will allow for housing delivery to be accelerated alongside the construction of Beam Park Station.
The amendment to Condition 71 of the outline planning permission will permit the concurrent construction of residential and commercial units in Phases E, F, and G with the delivery of the station. This change is intended to speed up the delivery of much-needed homes, aligning with the government's agenda to build 1.5 million homes.
Safeguards remain in place to ensure the station's delivery remains a priority. Development of Phases E, F, and G will only commence once sufficient evidence is provided to officers confirming that Beam Park Station construction is authorised to proceed, including confirmation from Network Rail and/or the Department for Transport.
What constitutes 'sufficient evidence'?
Officers will require the following evidence from Network Rail and/or the Department for Transport to confirm the station's construction authorization:¹
- A letter confirming that PACE Stage ES5 (or equivalent) has been closed out, and that construction at PACE Stage ES6 (or equivalent) has the relevant authority to proceed. This letter should include the scheduled date for the commencement of the Construction Stage (PACE Stage ES6) (or equivalent).
- A completed Implementation Agreement between the Station Delivery Sponsor and Network Rail (or any successor body), or a PACE Stage ES6 – ES8 (or equivalent) contract between the lead contractor and the Department for Transport and/or Network Rail (or any successor body) (redacted as reasonably required for security or commercial sensitivities).
- Copies of the PACE Stage ES5 (or equivalent) Approved for Construction (AFC) design packages (redacted as reasonably required for security or commercial sensitivities).
- Evidence of the commencement of enabling works which are directly part of railway station delivery (not car park or forecourt works).
Impact on Completion and Risks
The amendment will enable the acceleration of housing delivery by allowing development of Phases E, F, and G to proceed concurrently with the station's construction, rather than waiting for the station to be fully operational. This aligns with the government's agenda to build 1.5 million homes. The estimated timeline for the commencement of construction for Phases E, F, and G is dependent on the station's delivery timeline, as these phases will only begin once the station construction is authorized to proceed.
The primary risk associated with this concurrent construction is that housing development in Phases E, F, and G could commence without the station being delivered. This is mitigated by the rigorous evidence requirements outlined above, ensuring officers review specific documentation confirming the station's construction is authorized before development of these phases can begin. The original condition's purpose was to ensure good access to public transport for residents, and this is maintained by ensuring the station's delivery remains a priority through the amended condition and a Deed of Variation to the Section 106 agreement.²
A Deed of Variation to the Section 106 legal agreement has been submitted to align with the amended condition, ensuring the station's delivery remains a priority.
The committee unanimously approved this amendment, considering it a non-material change that maintains the original purpose of the condition while allowing for a more efficient housing development programme.
¹ This information is detailed in the NMA Committee Report Beam Park Station Final document: NMA Committee Report Beam Park Station Final.
² Further details on the planning application procedure can be found in the Planning Application Procedure Oct19 document: Planning Application Procedure Oct19.
