A property developer has appealed Havering Council’s refusal of its plans for an additional 82 homes to be built at Roneo Corner.

In 2020 a proposal submitted by Galliard Homes for the units on the former Neopost House site, in South Street, was refused planning permission.

The proposal detailed four blocks ranging from five to nine storeys to provide the homes as well as car parking, associate cycle parking, refuse storage facilities and landscaping.

It comes after Galliard had a separate proposal previously accepted to build 121 homes on the Neopost site, which stands at the junction of South Street, Rom Valley Way and Hornchurch Road.

Of the 121 homes, 115 of them are within Neopost House after approval to change its use from offices to residential units.

The remaining six units were granted permission to be built on top of the building to create six self-contained flats.

The main reasons for the council's refusal of the additional 82 homes included concerns over parking, the “overdevelopment of the site” and a lack of sufficient open space.

Further concerns highlighted, according to a council officer, was more building resulting in ground and first floor units being subjected to noise, disturbance and air pollution from the basement and adjacent B&Q car park.

The council felt the plans, predominately for one and two-bedroom units, should offer a greater range of housing choices, the officer added.

They said an issue with overheating and reliance on air conditioning was also flagged as the council pointed out that a large number of the proposed units have windows that may need to be closed to avoid noise from communal spaces in close proximity.

The refusal further stated the quality and amount of private amenity space was considered inadequate.

Members of the council's strategic planning committee debated the plans at a meeting in August 2020.

The government’s national planning inspectorate is to rule on whether the council had sufficient grounds to refuse permission for the four extra blocks and the hearing will take place on February 8.

The application can be viewed on the council’s planning portal using reference P0094.20.