Havering Council's Strategic Planning Committee has approved plans for the redevelopment of the Jewson builders' merchants site in Romford, paving the way for a larger, modern facility that is expected to support economic development and employment opportunities in the borough.

The decision, made at a meeting on Thursday, July 9, 2026, grants permission for the demolition of the existing buildings at 307-309 South Street and their replacement with a significantly expanded branch, including enhanced external storage.

The site is located within the Lyon Road Locally Significant Industrial Site (LSIS), an area designated for industrial and logistical uses. Case officer Andrew Thornley explained that the redevelopment will enable the existing business to expand and grow, contributing to economic development and employment in the borough.

The proposed new building will increase in floor space to 1,413 square meters, with a maximum height of 10.2 meters. Plans also include a new amalgamated external storage rack and a one-way system for vehicle access and egress onto South Street.

During the meeting, Councillor Alex Donald raised concerns about the loss of nine trees along the northern boundary, questioning the effectiveness of replacement planting for immediate screening. Mr. Thornley responded that younger trees are generally more successful and environmentally beneficial as they grow. The trees being removed are identified as Treaty 9, Category C, Group G4, Category C, and then a partial removal of Group G3, also Category P. For replacement planting, a total of 19 new trees are planned for the northern boundary and 12 on the southern boundary. These are described as heavy standards to provide an instant impact.

Councillor Iurie Bivol inquired about the impact of the increased building height on neighbouring properties on Dymoke Road. Mr. Thornley clarified that while the building would appear larger due to its increased height and the site's lower ground level, the separation distance of approximately 20-24 meters was considered sufficient to prevent significant loss of outlook or privacy, as no windows on the new building would directly face the residential properties.

The committee also discussed noise mitigation measures. Conditions will be imposed to control hours of use and deliveries, and an acoustic fence will be stipulated along the northern boundary. Specifically, the development shall not open to the public other than between the hours of 07:00 and 19:00 on Monday to Friday, and 08:00 to 16:00 on Saturday, and not at all on Sundays and Bank Holidays. No deliveries or waste collections shall be taken at or despatched from the site outside the hours of 07:00 to 18:00 on Monday to Friday, and 08:00 to 13:00 on Saturdays, with no deliveries on Sundays, Bank or Public Holidays.

The application was approved subject to the prior completion of a legal agreement to secure planning obligations. This includes a Travel Plan, an Employment, Skills and Training Scheme, and Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements. The BNG requirement is a statutory measure that will be secured through the legal agreement, including monitoring. A Biodiversity Gain Plan must be submitted prior to commencement, and a Habitat Management and Monitoring Plan (HMMP) will be secured for all significant on-site enhancements.

The Director for Planning and Public Protection has been delegated authority to finalise the legal agreement and issue the planning permission. Further details on the committee's discussions can be found in the Public reports pack.